Fire and Water: Book One - Into the Wild
by Hissing Willows
Summary: Seasons ago, Bluefur refused to give up her kits, and Thistleclaw became deputy in her place. Thistlestar leads his clan cruelly, greedy for land. In a territorial rage, he chases away young kittypet Rusty. RiverClan rescues Rusty and accepts him into their Clan. Rusty wants to learn the ways of his Clan and become a warrior - but first, he has to survive a desperate war.
1. Prologue

The moon shone brightly overhead, illuminating the river below and the rocky shoreline beside it. It was nearly full, and it cast an eerie glow down on the landscape below. In a few days time, it would reach its fullest size, and it would signal a time of peace—but tonight was not that time. The surrounding forest was quiet, aside from the chirping of crickets and the occasional croak of a frog, but there were creatures moving silently forward.

As though they were otters, a group of cats dove into the river from the shore opposite the rocks. They were silent as they swam across. From across the river, glowing eyes watched from behind the thick undergrowth. The second group was anticipating their arrival.

Then, as if on a silent signal, the river cats leaped from the water, and the forest cats raced out from their hiding. The tranquil air was suddenly split with screeches and yowls as the two groups met.

A massive tabby towered above all others, and in a heartbeat, his furious amber eyes became fixed on one of the wet river cats. "Oakheart!" he roared. The mighty tom charged forward, and leaped for the enemy. "How dare you trespass on Sunningrocks! These stones belong to ThunderClan!"

The soaked cat easily dodged the oncoming attack and landed a swipe of his own across the tabby's shoulders. "After tonight, Tigerclaw, they will belong to RiverClan, as they rightfully should!"

Tigerclaw hissed with rage as scored his claws down Oakheart's flank. "This will be the last time you try to steal our land, fish-face!"

Oakheart growled as Tigerclaw's claws ripped open his flesh, but he struck back again, and sliced through the ThunderClan warrior's nose. "I'm only taking back what has been stolen from RiverClan, squirrel-chaser!"

Tigerclaw spat as blood spurted from his split nose, and he shook his head. He braced himself to attack again, but a startled yelp stalled him.

"Look out! More RiverClan warriors coming!"

At the cat's desperate warning, more sleek-furred warriors jumped from the water. Tigerclaw only snarled. "You cannot win!"

"ThunderClan!" the voice of another warrior rang out. "We must retreat! Fall back!"

Tigerclaw narrowed his eyes and turned away to face his own Clan. A massive gray tom stood atop a flat stone. "Retreat!" he repeated. "Back to camp!"

"Thistlestar!" Tigerclaw protested. "We must fight them! We can easily win!"

Thistlestar shook his head. "I loathe these wetpaws as much as you, Tigerclaw, but they will get theirs in time. Back to camp. _Now._" His eyes burned with rage at the all-too-fast defeat.

Tigerclaw snarled wordlessly before he looked back to Oakheart. The RiverClan warrior grinned, before he threw back his head to let out a victorious caterwaul. In turn, each of his warriors followed suit, and the clearing was filled with the cries.

Rage burning deep in his chest, Tigerclaw turned away. This battle was lost.

…

When RiverClan returned home, their Clan was jovial. Though it was late, all were awake, and they tossed fat fish to one another to celebrate their victory.

Oakheart nudged the large tabby beside him. "Cheer up!" he purred. "We finally gave Thistlestar a taste of his own medicine! He won't be scrounging around here for land for at least another moon."

His companion sighed. "But then what, Oakheart?" He stared down at the carp at his paws, uneaten. "How many more battles must we fight against Thistlestar and his cats? That tom is hungry for RiverClan blood, and he has been such since he was a young warrior. It won't be long before they have more strong warriors and attack in full force."

"Crookedstar, you think too much," Oakheart chuckled, nudging the tom again. "Eat! This is a sign good as any that RiverClan is stronger than ever. Sunningrocks is finally ours again, which just means more hunting grounds for us."

Crookedstar glanced at the warrior, tired smile as lopsided as the twisted jaw he was named for. "I suppose you're right," he sighed. "This is a great victory for us." He gave Oakheart a grateful nod. "Thanks to your leadership in it, that is."

Oakheart puffed out his chest. Despite being a senior warrior in his Clan, he still kept the energy and charisma of a young cat. "Our warriors are strong," he said. "This victory can only boost their spirits and make them stronger."

Crookedstar nodded, but gave no reply. _My clan is still struggling, regardless,_ he thought. _Thistlestar is relentless. RiverClan needs more young warriors if it is to survive._

"Crookedstar, I need to speak with you."

The light tabby turned to face a thick-furred brown tom. His eyes gleamed in the moonlight, though his expression was guarded.

Crookedstar nodded. "Of course, Mudfur." He glanced at his deputy. "Feel free to eat my fish."

Oakheart swiped his tongue over his lips. "My pleasure."

Mudfur led his leader a bit sways from the rest of the clan, towards a secluded reedbed. "I have seen a sign from StarClan."

Crookedstar's eyes widened. _Let this be another blessing for the Clan, please!_ "What did you see, Mudfur?"

"I am sorry I did not share sooner," the medicine cat meowed. "But as the sun was setting, I gazed out upon the river. Suddenly, a flash of red and orange scorched across the surface of the river, brighter than any reflection of the sunset I have ever seen." He closed his eyes, silent for a moment. "Fire will scorch through the shadows of the forest, then cleanse with water's gentle flow."

Crookedstar blinked. "What in StarClan's name does that mean?"

Mudfur shook his head. "I do not know yet," he admitted. "But I believe it is important we remember this. I will think on this more, Crookedstar."

Puzzled, the leader only nodded. "Of course. Thank you."

As his medicine cat turned away, Crookedstar gazed up at the night sky. _StarClan, what do you mean?_ He wondered. _Is this a good sign, or a warning?_

The stars offered no answer.

* * *

**That's right - Fire and Water (formerly known as _Blazing_) is back! If you've been following the story on tumblr, that's old news, but if not... hopefully this is exciting for you! And if you're new to the story, welcome! This is a story that's been years in the making (I just checked - the first chapter originally came out in 2016... phew!), and there's been many changes to my own writing and the plot, characters, and world of this story since. I decided to rewrite _Blazing_ a couple years ago when I hit a roadblock in the second book. It wasn't going quite where I wanted, and my plans for the later arcs just weren't coming together. Some of the changes were inspired by other rewrite stories that started coming out (particularly _Warriors Redux_ on tumblr, who introduced me to the idea of traditional naming, and the concept that I could change worldbuilding if I felt like it), and I decided to go back to the drawing board and start fresh. Much of the story has already been written, so updates will be frequent for quite a while.**

**So here we are, three years after the first posting of this story. There are a considerable amount of changes to the story, so if you're an old reader, things might be different. The worldbuilding of _Warriors_ has been somewhat altered. Most notably, this story uses a naming system, which serves to give actual meanings to the names cats have. This means some of the characters you know may have different names. There are some minor changes to the code, to the lore, and to politics - but everything important will be addressed and touched on throughout the story. And if you're interested in getting into more detail, I have a blog for the story on tumblr - warriorsfireandwater - where you can also read the story, see posts that get into greater detail about the lore, and ask questions/share theories/etc!**

**I hope you enjoy the new (and hopefully improved) _Warriors: __Fire and Water_!**


	2. Allegiances

**RIVERCLAN**

**Leader: **Crookedstar—huge light-colored tabby tom with a twisted jaw

**Deputy: **Oakheart—handsome brown tabby tom

**Medicine Cat: **Mudfur—long-haired light brown tom

**Warriors:**

Petalstream—tortoiseshell molly _(p: Petaldust)_

_**Apprentice, Mosspaw**_

Beetleclaw—broad-shouldered black tom _(p: Beetlenose)_

_**Apprentice, Shadepaw**_

Voleclaw—gray tom

_**Apprentice, Minkpaw**_

Blackclaw—broad-shouldered, long-legged smoky black tom with a long tail

_**Apprentice, Beechpaw**_

Skyheart—pale brown tabby molly

Leopardfur—dappled, golden tabby molly with unusual golden spots

Weaselfoot—dark brown tom _(p: Loudbelly)_

_**Apprentice, Silverpaw**_

Dawnwhisker—ginger-and-white molly, blind in one eye _(p: Dawnbright)_

_**Apprentice, Firepaw**_

Sedgecreek—mottled ginger-brown tabby molly

_**Apprentice, Grasspaw**_

Whiteclaw—white tom with one black paw

Frogleap—brown tom with dark striped tail

Sunwhisker—golden molly _(p: Sunfish)_

Silverstream—pretty silver-gray molly with black tabby stripes

**Apprentices:**

Beechpaw—heavy-set, light brown tom with a round face _(p: Heavystep)_

Shadepaw—smoky gray molly with darker points

Mosspaw—slim tortoiseshell molly

Silverpaw—short-legged silver tabby tom

Grasspaw—small brown tabby tom

Minkpaw—thick-furred black molly

Firepaw—bright ginger tom

**Queens:**

Mallowtail—dark ginger-and-white molly

Brambleflower—dark brown tabby molly (p: _Greenflower)_

**Elders:**

Graypool—skinny gray molly

Snowfang—big white tom

**THUNDERCLAN**

**Leader: **Thistlestar—well-muscled, spiky-furred, dark gray-and-white tabby tom with gray patches mottling his face

**Deputy:** Tigerclaw—big dark brown tabby tom with unusually long front claws

**Medicine Cat:** Spottedleaf—beautiful tortoiseshell molly

**Warriors:**

Bluefur—blue-gray molly with a graying muzzle

Lionheart—large golden tom

Whitecloud—large white tom _(p: Whitestorm)_

Redtail—small tortoiseshell tom, predominantly with ginger markings

Darkstripe—sleek black-and-gray tabby tom

Willowpelt—slender, very pale silver-gray molly

Mistyfoot—glossy blue-gray molly

Stonefur—large blue-gray tom

Mosstail—brown tabby cat

Addertail—pale brown tabby tom with black stripes _(p: Longtail)_

Birchfoot—slender, light brown tabby tom _(p: Runningwind)_

Mousefur—small dusky brown molly

**Apprentices:**

Graypaw—long-haired gray tom with dark tabby markings

Ravenpaw—sleek black tom with a white tail tip

Sandpaw—slender, pale ginger tabby molly

Dustpaw—dark brown tabby tom

**Queens:**

Brindleface—pretty brown tabby molly

Goldenflower—sleek, pale ginger tabby molly

Speckletail—old, pale tabby molly

Frostfur—beautiful white molly with blue eyes (Mother of Cinderkit, Brackenkit, Thornkit, and Brightkit.)

**Elders:**

Halftail—big dark brown tabby tom with part of his tail missing

Thrushpelt—sandy-gray tom with a white chest

Patchpelt—small black-and-white tom

One-eye—pale gray molly, eldest cat in ThunderClan; virtually blind and deaf

Dappletail—once-pretty tortoiseshell molly with a lovely dappled coat

**SHADOWCLAN**

**Leader:** Brokenstar—large, long-haired, dark brown tabby tom with yellow eyes, a wide face, and a thick, kinked tail.

**Deputy:** Blackfoot—large black tom with white paws.

**Medicine Cat:** Mirestorm—ragged, long-haired gray molly with a broad, flat face, and orange eyes. Also referred to as 'Yellowfang'.

Marshcloud—small gray-and-white tom.

**WINDCLAN**

**Leader: **Ferretstar—tall black-and-white tom with a long tail, face, and large ears.

**Deputy:** Deadfoot—long-legged, sleek black tom with a twisted paw.

**Medicine Cat: **Barkface—dark brown tabby tom.

_Note: Cats with names changed from canon have their original name marked after their description. ShadowClan and WindClan allegiances are not complete and will grow throughout the series._


	3. Chapter 1

A breeze ruffled Rusty's ginger pelt, shaking the branches of the trees above. It was very dark, but Rusty could sense something was near. The young tom's eyes opened wide as he scanned the dense undergrowth, and he parted his jaws to scent the air. This place was unfamiliar, but the strange scents drew him onward, deeper into the shadows. Musty leaf and moss-scent coated his tongue, mingling teasingly with the scent of a small warm-blooded creature. His whiskers quivered in anticipation and excitement.

The undergrowth ahead rustled, and Rusty spotted a tiny flash of gray. Rusty froze, ears pricked as he listened to the critter's shuffling. It seemed oblivious to his presence.

Rusty instinctively dropped into a crouch, swiping his tongue over his lips as his belly rumbled, reminding him of his hunger. With one final check on the mouse's location, Rusty grinned and pushed off the ground in a mighty leap. He cleared the distance and scattered leaves with his paws as he pounced on the critter.

The mouse let out a squeak and slipped through his paws—but Rusty was too fast! He shot out a paw, scooping the mouse off the ground and sending it flying into the air. He wriggled his haunches, prepared to trap the dazed rodent as it hit the ground—

But then a loud, clanging noise shook the forest, and the mouse squeaked again and raced back into the undergrowth. Rusty's ears pricked up, and he swung his head around to find the source of the oddly familiar sound.

With a blink, the forest around him disappeared, and he awoke to find himself in his housefolk's den. The clatter was the sound of one of the humans pouring pellets into his food bowl. Rusty rolled onto his belly, parting his jaws in a wide yawn as he tried to savor the remnants of the dream. He scratched at his neck with a hind leg, knocking a paw against his tight collar. The bell tinkled as he did so, and it was only a further reminder of how the dream had been just that—a dream. In his sleep, he'd been able to feel that soft breeze against his neck fur, and he'd felt free. This was the third time he'd dreamed of that infernal mouse. It would always _just_ manage to escape his claws.

Rusty sighed a little as he rose from his soft bed, taking a moment to stretch each limb. His housefolk called something to him as he padded by, and she pointed at the bowl. Humans always seemed to either have dull senses or dull minds— of course Rusty knew the food was there! As he gazed into the metallic bowl, he frowned. He was hungry, but wasn't in the mood for dry pellets. With a sigh, he crouched and took a few bites to satisfy his housefolk.

Dawn sunlight filtered in through the windows, warming his fiery pelt. Perhaps robins would be out picking worms. He licked his lips at the thought of a warm, juicy robin—they were work to catch, for sure, but much more satisfying than the dry food he could eat at his leisure. (Of course, Rusty had only managed to catch one once, when it had flown into a window and dazed itself, but he would never admit it to his friends.)

Rusty turned away from the bowl and headed towards the catflap that allowed him to go out into the yard. He pushed through the flimsy thing, then shook out his pelt in the sun. The grass was still wet with morning dew, and he felt the urge to have a good roll in it.

A friendly call halted him. "Howdy, Rusty!" The ginger tom looked up to see his friend, Smudge, perched on the top of his fence. "Whatcha gettin' up to?" The fat young cat hopped down and landed sloppily, resulting in a purr from Rusty.

"Not sure," he laughed. Rusty glanced at another shorter fence ahead of him. Forest scents wafted through on the slight breeze, carrying the same leaf mold and mossy scents. He was sure there'd be _real_ mice out there, fat on forest vegetation and seeds. He stepped forward towards it, raising a paw tentatively as he approached. "I think I want to go take a look in the forest."

Smudge's eyes widened in horror. "No—don't go out there! Henry went out there once, and he said there's wildcats as big as dogs!"

Rusty rolled his eyes. "That fat tabby never went anywhere! He probably stared at it from his fence and started daydreaming." He frowned. "Maybe he did once, but not since his trip to the vet. Now all he does is eat, sleep, and roll around in the sun."

"He did, though!" Smudge protested. "He caught a robin there and showed it to me!"

Rusty knew that there was a robin's nest in Henry's yard, and that the baby birds had a tendency to fall out of it, but he kept that thought private. "Either way, he just _complains_ about birds now for disturbing his sleep."

Smudge puffed up dramatically. "But still—there's mean wildcats out there! I heard they _eat_ cats like us for _snacks!_ Snacks, Rusty! Henry even said those cats eat _bones, _you know!"

Rusty shrugged, unfazed by his friend's ramblings. "I'll just go for a look," he assured Smudge. "I won't go too far—I'll keep the fence in sight! I just want to see what it's like. Maybe I'll even catch something."

Smudge frowned, looking uncomfortable, but nodded. "Okay," he sighed. "Be safe." he brightened after a moment. "And if you do catch anything, you better share, you greedy pigeon!"

Rusty chuckled. "Greedy pigeon yourself! You eat more than I do!" He turned away and leaped up the fence, feeling satisfied that he could balance much better than his friend. He stared at the forest treeline for a moment, hesitating. What if there _were_ fierce wildcats out there? Shaking his head, he leaped down. _Rusty, you're getting as gullible as Smudge,_ he thought, as he landed on the soft grass. He remained still for a few long moments, savoring the view of the thick forest ahead of him.

A rustle of ferns caught his attention. A sandy-brown little creature caught his attention—a _real_ mouse. Instinctively, Rusty lowered himself into a crouch. _This one _will _be my breakfast!_ He took slow, quiet steps forward as he approached the mouse. The mouse sat up, nibbling on a seed. Rusty felt a rush of adrenaline as he waggled his haunches. His bell hadn't made a sound, either. Today must be his lucky day.

There was a louder, more prominent rustling farther into the bushes, just into the trees. The mouse blinked and shot away, gone for good. Rusty sat back on his haunches with a frustrated huff. He blinked, confused, as the rustling grew louder. He rose again, craning his neck to try and spot the source of the sound. Something was in the bushes—larger prey, perhaps? He'd heard that wild rabbits lived out here, too. Rusty couldn't resist creeping closer, hungry belly urging him on.

The rustling was slowly moving further into the trees. Rusty narrowed his eyes.

Whatever creature was in the undergrowth whipped around and started crashing towards him. The creature flew out of the bushes and slammed into him like a stone, throwing him right off his paws. Rusty yowled with surprise as the hunter quite suddenly became the hunted.

Rusty rolled across the earth before he managed to regain his footing. Whirling around upon his attacker, he saw that his opponent was another kitten—gray with a thick pelt, with a strong stance for one so young. As he turned, the gray kitten charged, crashing into him at full speed. Both young cats fell back, tumbling to the ground. As they tussled for a moment, Rusty boxed him hard over the ears, and caught him across the jaw with his other flailing paw. The stranger jumped back, shaking his head. Rusty leaped to his paws, prepared to pounce on the kitten, but stopped as the gray tom simply sat up and licked a paw. Rusty was oddly disappointed by the sudden loss of aggression—he had been filled with adrenaline, prepared to fight fiercely.

"Huh!" The gray kitten huffed good-naturedly. "You put up a fight for a tame kittypet!"

_Kittypet? _Rusty blinked. His back was still arched as he tried to intimidate the tom, but as he remembered the strength in the tom's attack, he relaxed himself. "I'll fight you again if I have to," he growled.

"I'm Graypaw, by the way," The gray tom meowed as though he hadn't heard Rusty's threat. "I'm training to be a ThunderClan warrior."

Rusty didn't reply. He had no idea what Graypaw—what an odd name!—was yammering about, but he didn't much feel like fighting him again. He could tell, however, that there was no threat in the kitten anymore. He licked his chest fur, trying to appear at ease. "What's a kittypet?" he asked, ears flat.

"A cat that lives with humans. Duh," the tom said, as though that should have been obvious. "What's a kittypet like you doing in the woods?" Graypaw asked, drawing his paw over his ears. "In ThunderClan territory, no less. Don't you know it's dangerous?"

Rusty snorted, sitting down. "If _you're_ the most dangerous thing the forest has to offer, I think I could handle myself just fine."

Graypaw chuckled. "Oh, I'm not the most dangerous. I'm just in training—one of our warriors could take you and me both with ease, and dealt with another few cats for good measure! If I were even half a warrior, I'd have given an intruder like you some _real_ wounds."

Rusty fell a little rush of fear at the word 'intruder'. What did he mean by _that_? He was only checking out the woods past his fence!

"Anyway," Graypaw went on, giving his chest fur a good lick. "Didn't seem worth giving you any scratches. You're obviously not from the other Clans. I don't know kittypet smell, but your collar makes it obvious."

"Other Clans?" Rusty echoed, confused by everything Graypaw was saying. _He's so weird!_

Graypaw let out an impatient hiss. "You must have heard of the four Clans that live out here! I told you already, I come from ThunderClan—the best there is, I'll have you know—but the others are always trying to steal our prey and land. Especially ShadowClan! They're the worst, and they certainly would've whooped an untrained kittypet like you." He puffed out his chest and lifted his chin. "Not that _my_ Clan's warriors can't handle them."

Rusty narrowed his eyes. This must be what Smudge meant by 'wildcats'. From the sound of it, they were greedy for every morsel of meat in the forest! _Why don't they just work together?_ Rusty thought sourly. _There'd be no silly fights then, right?_ Either way, he had to admit, he admired the tom. Life must be rough, fighting for prey and land every day. _Exciting, but rough._ "So you're not a warrior yet?" he asked. He wasn't sure he really understood this 'warrior' business, but it sounded interesting enough. _Just wait until Smudge hears I fought one of the wildcats._

"Why? Did you think I was?" Graypaw purred proudly, before shaking his wide, furry head. "I won't be a real warrior for moons. I have to go through the training first. Kits have to be six moons old before they even begin training. I've only been an apprentice for a half a moon."

"Why don't you just find yourself a housefolk and a nice den? Your life would be much easier," Rusty meowed. "There are plenty of humans who'd take in a kitten like you. All you have to do is sit where they can see you and look friendly—"

"And they'd feed me pellets that look like rabbit droppings and soft slop!" Graypaw interrupted harshly, demeanor changing in a heartbeat. "No way! I can't think of anything worse than being a kittypet! They're nothing but Twoleg toys! Cooped up in those odd barns, fat on crow-food? That's no life! Out here, we're free." He grinned proudly. "You've never lived 'till you've ran through the forest with your clanmates and tasted a fresh-caught prey."

Graypaw frowned at him after his speech. "You wouldn't understand. You have to be _born_ wild to know what it's like. To tame kittypets like you, the forest is just one big adventure before you head back to your warm dens and full bowls of crow-food." He shrugged. "You have to be born a warrior to understand the feeling of having strong warrior blood in your veins or feeling the wind in your whiskers."

_How rude! _Rusty bristled as he thought of his dreams. He wanted something more than what his house had to offer—even if he didn't know what exactly it was that he wanted. "That's not all true!"

Graypaw didn't reply, but after a moment, stiffened. "Oh, no. I smell my Clanmates. Quick, run! They'll shred you soon as look at you."

Rusty froze fearfully. He wasn't sure how Graypaw knew such a thing—he couldn't smell anything out of the ordinary, but he could tell from the startled expression and bristling fur that Graypaw was very, very worried. He prepared to spring away, but he had no idea where Graypaw's 'Clanmates' were coming from. Looking around, he realized they had also rolled too far into the trees for him to see the fence—Rusty was lost already.

It was too late. A voice startled him from behind, deep and gravelly. "What's going on here?"

Rusty turned around to see a massive gray-and-white tom strolling towards them. The tom's white-mottled face was riddled with nicks and small scars, and his harsh amber gaze seemed to bore right through Rusty. His huge paws crushed the grass beneath them, and Rusty felt minuscule in front of him.

"Thistlestar!" A handsome golden tom followed close behind, thick chest fur much like a mane. "Wait up, will you... wait, what's this?" He frowned down at Rusty, nearly as large as the darker tom beside him. He glared at Graypaw. "You shouldn't be so close to the town, Graypaw!"

"I'm sorry, Lionheart," Graypaw murmured, crouching low and tucking his tail beneath him. Rusty felt he should do the same, and he was filled with fear at the sight of the massive toms in front of him.

"Just _who_ is this?" The gray tom rumbled, lip curling. "Gossiping with a kittypet, are you?"

"He's not a threat!" Graypaw insisted, gaze flickering nervously from Rusty to Thistlestar. "Just a silly human pet that's lost."

"You _know_ how we treat _human__ pets_, Graypaw," Thistlestar growled, unsheathing his claws. He looked back at Rusty. "You may have fought well for an untrained kittypet—" He spat the word like it was venom. "—but you have no place in the forest. You did well to attack him, Graypaw, but you should have given him a few more scratches to remember us by." He snarled. "Leave, little kitty."

Rusty couldn't help but feel indignant, despite his fear of the angry tom. He was causing no harm! "Why should I?" he challenged. "I'm not doing anything wrong! I only wanted to catch a mouse or two and I'd be on my way. Surely you can spare."

The outraged snarl that erupted from Thistlestar told him that Rusty had said the wrong thing. "You little _worm_," he spat. "You _dare_ challenge me?" He drew himself even taller than he was before, and Rusty swallowed. "I am Thistlestar, leader of ThunderClan," he said. "And you've made your final mistake coming here."

Before Rusty knew what was happening, he was clobbered over the head with a hefty paw, and unsheathed claws tore through Rusty's ear. He yowled in pain and surprise as he tumbled onto his back. Graypaw gasped, and Lionheart took a step back, looking uncomfortable. "Thistlestar, he is only a kit, and the Code—"

"The Code says that a leader's word is law, Lionheart," Thistlestar hissed. "And I say this insolent rat dies today."

Rusty tried to stand as the massive tom padded closer, curling claws unsheathed. He was filled with dread as he glanced at Graypaw, who was backing away and shaking his head. _I can't die,_ Rusty thought, cowering miserably. _Not like this!_


	4. Chapter 2

"_Well?"_ Thistlestar hissed. "Get up and fight, wretched kittypet!"

Lionheart was staring at him coldly, despite trying to soothe his leader, and Graypaw only watched helplessly. The older golden tom lowered his gaze, and a touch of guilt flashed through his eyes.

Rusty forced himself to his paws. _Maybe I can give him a good scratch, _he thought, not believing it for a moment. _I can surprise him and run home and never come back and—_

Thistlestar leaped, swinging a mighty paw and scoring his claws across Rusty's chest. The young kittypet was knocked away again by the force of the attack. Rusty let out a pained cry as he crashed to the forest floor. The powerful tom stalked closer, and Rusty made the mistake of trying to stand.

Thistlestar struck at him again, knocking him right back down. Rusty wheezed in pain, but before he could attempt to stand again, jaws latched around his collar as the tom lifted him from the ground by it with startling ease. The collar immediately put horrible pressure on Rusty's throat, and he flailed desperately. _I can't breathe!_

Thistlestar shook him back and forth, safely out of the way of Rusty's lashing legs.

Rusty was faintly aware of another plea from Lionheart to stop, but all he could focus on was the pain on his throat as the world spun violently around him. Just as he started to stop struggling, Thistlestar jerked him sharply to the side, the buckle on his collar gave, and the whole thing came apart with a loud snap.

Rusty collapsed, and Thistlestar staggered back, briefly confused. Gasping for breath, Rusty's instincts took over and commanded him to run while he had the chance. He scrambled to his paws and took off past Thistlestar and a wide-eyed Lionheart, into the woods behind them.

"Kittypet!" Thistlestar yowled, his roar carrying through the forest as Rusty raced away. "You cannot escape me in my own woods!"

Rusty flattened his ears, leaping over a clump of fallen bracken. He had no idea where he was going, or where his home was. All he knew was that his wounds burned and he could still hardly breathe and that he needed to _run_.

Rusty thought countless times that he heard noises behind him, but nothing leaped out to claw at him. Everywhere he turned, the trees were scored with countless claw-marks, a clear sign that he was not free of the pursuers yet. Every time he saw another set of the marks, he imagined the ThunderClan cats' thorn-sharp claws tearing into him. He wasn't sure how long he had been running, but he was exhausted—he had never gone this far or fast in his life, and only the impulse of fear had driven him on like this. He desperately needed to rest, even if only for a few moments.

Rusty found a hollow under a tree and curled up inside. He panted heavily as he cowered there, hoping that he would be left here in peace. He slowly caught his breath, but his legs, throat, and scratches ached. He waited, but no cats came to punish him for fleeing the wrath of the wildcat, and he laid his head on his paws. A voice inside told him it was foolish to rest so long, but sense gave way to exhaustion, and he couldn't resist drifting off.

He dreamed only briefly. He would hardly remember more than a hazy imagine when he awoke, but in his sleep, he saw before him a calm, wide river, surrounded by reeds and willows. Rusty felt something like a tug in his paws, as though he should go closer, but he awoke before he could to the sound of a crow cawing loudly. Slowly, Rusty lifted his head and emerged from the hollow.

His legs were still sore, but he figured he should keep moving. He stood still by the tree for a few moments. _Do I go back?_ he wondered. _I don't know if I'd be able to find my way, let alone without running into Thistlestar and ThunderClan. If only I'd listened to Smudge…_ he sighed. _Maybe if I keep going I'll find someone friendly who can help me._ As Rusty walked, he winced. _I hope I can get home soon so I can get these scratches mended._

Rusty continued onward through the forest, much more slowly than before. His legs still burned and his wounds ached something terrible. Thistlestar had longer claws than he had ever seen from a cat—the claws of kittypets were almost always dull. He glanced at the sky to see it cascaded in orange and pink hues, but he hardly enjoyed it. Rusty had a better view from his fence, and he wasn't feeling cheerful enough to sit and watch it set in the treetops.

As dusk fell, crickets chirped throughout the forest. Rusty let out a sigh. Surely he'd at least be safe for the night. Perhaps he should go back to the hollow and—

"There he is! I smell him!"

"Are you certain, Addertail?"

"Of course, Darkstripe! There's kittypet scent everywhere!"

"You're right, it's fresh!"

And then he heard that familiar snarl. "After him, then! I won't let kittypets think they can wander in and out of my land as they please!"

Rusty's heart sunk. _No!_ Without another thought, he took off, crashing through the undergrowth.

"Aha! There he is! After him!"

Rusty forced himself to pump his legs even harder than earlier. His chest burned painfully as his lungs heaved for air, his muscles strained to leap over fallen logs and thick undergrowth, and his wounds stung terribly as they hit leaves and branches and thorns.

Rusty could tell the warriors were gaining on him. Their crashing and yowling was rapidly coming closer and closer—no matter how fast he ran, they were much, much faster.

Suddenly, the treeline ended, and Rusty felt warm stones beneath his paws. Ahead of him, he heard the sound of fresh, moving water—a river was ahead of him, across the sand-colored warm rocks. Briefly, he was reminded of his foggy dream. _I saw that when I was asleep!_

Though he tried to keep running, he was tripped up by the unexpected rocks, and he fell, unbalanced. Rusty cried out in pain as his head cracked sharply against a stone. He remained sprawled on the rocks, stunned and hopeless.

As the ThunderClan cats burst from the trees, hissing victoriously, another yowl sounded from the river. "ThunderClan intruders!"

Rusty raised his weakly to see sleek, dripping cats burst from the river. _What on earth?_

"Leave this place, Oakheart!" he heard Thistlestar yowl. "This kittypet is _my_ intruder, and Sunningrocks belongs to me!"

Rusty tried to stand, but a dark tabby ThunderClan tom shot forward and slammed him into the stones sharply. Rusty couldn't help but cry out again in pain. "Not so fast, kittypet," the tabby spat.

A handsome brown tabby river cat stepped forward, flanked by four more cats. "If you weren't so busy yowling and scaring off your own prey, Thistlestar, you might've noticed we'd placed the new border markers. I'd take my cats off of Sunningrocks if I were you." His eyes travelled down to the trembling form of Rusty, and he curled his lips. "You're hunting a _kit_? Have you no shame? Look at him! You could have cuffed him over the ears and sent him home with no trouble." He _tsked_ sharply. "First you trespass on RiverClan land, and then we catch you breaking the Code harming a kit."

"He was a trespasser, and he disrespected Thistlestar," The dark tabby snarled. "ThunderClan doesn't take that lightly, Oakheart."

"Now that's where we understand each other," Oakheart said, before he lashed his tail to both sides. "I have the same low-tolerance for intruders." As though it were a signal, the four cats behind him screeched and leaped forward, lunging for the ThunderClan cats.

Rusty gasped in relief as the dark tabby on top of him was thrown off by a ginger-and-white molly, still dripping wet from the river. Rusty wasted no time in regaining his footing. He stood still for a moment as the clearing erupted with fighting.

"Kit!" Oakheart snapped, and for an awful heartbeat, Rusty thought his savior was about to turn on him and try to kill him, too. "Go to the river and wait there!" He scanned what he'd called 'Sunningrocks'. "Dawnwhisker!" he called, and the ginger-and-white she-cat that had tackled the tabby raised her head. She now had the tabby pinned, and he was struggling beneath her paws. "Leave that foxheart. Take the kit across the river and warn Crookedstar of the battle."

Dawnwhisker hesitated before she clawed the tabby across the face and leaped away, running back towards Rusty. "Come on!" She ordered as she passed him. Rusty followed, movements more forced than ever. When they were at the riverbank, Rusty gulped. "Come on," she repeated. "It's not that bad." Dawnwhisker glanced at him. "Well… you're definitely tired and probably don't know how to swim. I'll try and carry you across, but make sure you keep your head up."

She nudged him towards the river, and Rusty stepped into it, trembling. _I don't want to go in there, but I can't stay here!_ Dawnwhisker bent down and grasped his scruff in her jaws, and with a _huff_, she lifted him just barely off the ground. Then, she padded in with ease, and before he knew it, Rusty was up to his jaws in water and Dawnwhisker was swimming strongly across the river. Rusty gasped as he was nearly submerged in water, and did his best to keep his head up. "Chin up!" Dawnwhisker growled around the mouthful of fur. "I can't hold both our weights up on my own!" Soon, he could feel pebbles under his paws, and Dawnwhisker released him as they both hurried out of the water. Rusty gave himself a shake, relieved to be out of the water.

Dawnwhisker glanced over her shoulder, and Rusty followed her gaze. He watched as Oakheart and Thistlestar both reared and crashed into each other, locking their forelegs around each other's necks as they wrestled for dominance. Thistlestar overpowered him, slamming him into the ground. Nearby, a black kitten—about the same size as Graypaw, Rusty reckoned—hissed at one of the RiverClan warriors.

Dawnwhisker frowned, turning away. "They'll manage," she told him, but it sounded more like she was comforting herself. "Come. If you're lucky, our leader, Crookedstar, will let Mudfur treat your wounds."

Rusty swallowed at the words '_if you're lucky'_. What was the alternative? Would RiverClan kill him like ThunderClan had planned to? _Please let this Crookedstar be better than Thistlestar!_

Not far from the riverbank was a long reedbed, mingled with ferns. A gap between the reeds opened up before them. Dawnwhisker glanced at him. "You smell like the human's place. You're a kittypet, right?" At Rusty's nod, she frowned. "Can you smell my Clan?"

Rusty frowned before parting his jaws to taste the air. The smell of fish wavered in the air, along with cat-scent, though each trail smelled just like the next. His mouth watered at the smell of fresh fish—on occasion, his housefolk would give him some out of a tin can, and though salty and a bit metallic, it was a treat for sure. "I guess," he finally replied, unsure of himself.

"You look hungry," Dawnwhisker pointed out, twitching her tail. "I suppose being chased through the forest all day will do that to you." She led him through the reeds, into the opening. "Stick close to me," she meowed. "My Clan will smell your kittypet scent the moment you walk in. We're friendlier than most Clans, but even my Clanmates won't appreciate a kittypet."

Rusty blinked, but followed. Could cats really be that perceptive? Almost everybody smelled the same to him—like a cat.

Dawnwhisker pushed through the reeds, and in a heartbeat, they were standing in a wide clearing. RiverClan's camp was flat and sunny, and the earth looked soft and well-trodden. A number of cats were stretched out in the last rays of sun, dozing or grooming one another. Beyond, dens appeared to be constructed out of more reeds, cleverly pushed and woven together intricately. They almost looked like large bird nests, in a way. Rusty noticed that a few of the dens had shiny objects and shells woven among them, which let the sun shine across them, scattering pretty lights across the clearing.

It was a little surprising. Though he hadn't been sure what to expect, he wasn't expecting a tranquil clearing with relaxed cats. _Smudge_ was _exaggerating after all… well, only a little, maybe,_ he thought, flinching as he recalled being flung to the ground by Thistlestar and clawed to shreds. His scratches were still stinging, even more so after being chased through the forest.

After hardly a moment, however, many of the cats raised their heads, and as they spotted him, they narrowed their eyes and muttered to one another. Rusty tried not to bristle nervously—he didn't want to appear hostile. _If they don't like 'kittypets' like me, what's to stop them from attacking like Thistlestar?_

"This way," Dawnwhisker said, ignoring the stares. She led him to one of the smaller reed-dens, and called inside. "Crookedstar? I need to see you."

"Of course, Dawnwhisker. Come in." A deep voice replied, and they stepped inside. A huge, light brown tom was crouched over a half-eaten trout. Rusty's eyes widened as he saw the tom's twisted jaw. The tabby turned to face them. His jaw had clearly been broken before—it was twisted oddly to the side, revealing teeth and the side of the tom's pink tongue.

Crookedstar frowned. "Why did you bring a kit here?" He straightened up, leaned forward, and sniffed. "A kittypet, no less."

"Thistlestar and his cats attacked this kit," Dawnwhisker explained, nudging Rusty closer. "They clawed him and chased him all the way to Sunningrocks. Darkstripe had him pinned to the rocks when we found him. Oakheart wanted me to bring him to you—they're fighting ThunderClan right now."

Crookedstar looked Rusty up and down. "Hmm. You ran all this way to Sunningrocks from the town? Impressive, for a kittypet, and a kit at that. You can't be much older than a new apprentice." His expression turned sympathetic as he noticed Rusty's scratches. "Take him to Mudfur," he ordered. "ThunderClan may have forgotten the code, but RiverClan will not turn away an injured kit." He gave Rusty a friendly blink, and the ginger tom was filled with relief. _These wildcats don't seem so bad, compared to the others. _"What's your name, kittypet?"

"Rusty," he meowed. He quickly added, "Th-thank you. I thought they were going to kill me."

Crookedstar sighed. "They would have. You were lucky that Oakheart was there." He glanced at Dawnwhisker. "If only Sunstar still led them. They've always been our rival, but that Thistlestar… well, what's done is done. Dawnwhisker, you said they were fighting? How many are there?"

Dawnwhisker frowned, thinking. "Er… four, I think. It was Thistlestar, Darkstripe, that one tabby… Addertail, I think his name is, and a shrimpy little apprentice."

Crookedstar frowned again. "After you bring Rusty to Mudfur's den, fetch Blackclaw and Skyheart and help chase them off. I will _not_ lose Sunningrocks to them."

"Understood," Dawnwhisker said, then nudged Rusty again. "Let's go." After they left the den, he was escorted across camp to another reed den. As they passed, a few cats recoiled and hissed.

"Kittypet!"

"Why'd you bring _that_ here?"

"What's a kittypet doing in camp?"

Dawnwhisker ignored them. Rusty flattened his ears, but said nothing. _Or maybe they aren't all so kind, either._

Inside this den, an older, thick-furred brown tom was sitting in the back, sorting dried leaves. "Hmm?" he looked over his shoulder before narrowing his eyes. "What's this?"

"ThunderClan hurt this kittypet kit," Dawnwhisker explained again. "Oakheart sent me with him back here. There'll probably be more wounds soon, since they're fighting."

Mudfur padded closer, sniffing at Rusty, who shrank back a little. "I don't bite," Mudfur chuckled. "I'll fix those scratches. Kittypet or not, I won't turn away a hurt kit."

"Goodbye, Rusty," Dawnwhisker meowed over her shoulder as she turned away. "I'll give someone a good scratch for you."

Rusty blinked in surprise. Somehow, the offer actually sounded _friendly_. _These cats are so strange._

Mudfur scraped together some moss into a rough nest. "You must be exhausted," he said, shuffling back to the herb pile. "Rest. You'll be safe here for tonight, at least."

Rusty was suddenly aware again of how overwhelmingly tired he was. Not to mention, he was still wet from the river, and shivering.

"Lick your fur the wrong way," Mudfur instructed. "I'll help in a moment."

Rusty mumbled a thanks before stepping into and curling up in his nest. It wasn't the cloth-and-wool bed he had in his house, but it was still surprisingly comfortable. He tiredly lapped at his pelt, though he found it was difficult to lick his fur back on his own. True to his word, Mudfur soon turned and began to groom Rusty's pelt for him. It didn't take long for the soothing grooming to lull him to sleep.


	5. Chapter 3

"_Oakheart is dead!_"

Rusty was suddenly awakened by the wail. He blinked, and quickly raised his head. For a moment, he forgot where he was, until everything came flooding back. _Thistlestar attacked me, and I ended up here. RiverClan saved me_.

Then what he had heard hit him like a stone. _Dead?_ Rusty's eyes widened with horror. Had Thistlestar murdered Oakheart? _These wildcats really are savage!_

With a glance, he could see that Mudfur was not in his den. Rusty rose, and blinked as he noticed sticky-white webs stuck to his chest, where he'd been scratched. He sniffed at it, and found it smelled like the herbs in the den. _Mudfur must've put there_.

Rusty padded from the den, slowly, hoping not to attract attention to himself. It was well past nightfall—moonhigh, perhaps—but many warriors were still awake.

Crookedstar emerged from his den. "What?" he demanded. "Oakheart can't be dead!"

A black-furred tom and pale brown tabby molly were dragging a limp body behind the rest of their small group. Gasps of horror rose from the Clan.

"Who did this?" Crookedstar demanded. "_Who_?!"

"No one," Dawnwhisker murmured, head low. "Well, Darkstripe chased him under a rock, and they started fighting… I think they jostled smaller rocks that were supporting it. But Oakheart pushed Darkstripe out, and before he could get out from under it…" She swallowed. "He was crushed by it. That's why it took us so long to get back—we were digging him out."

A young silver tabby pressed herself to Crookedstar's side, murmuring quietly in his ear. A sob shook Crookedstar's body before he ordered, "Bring him to the center of camp. We'll share tongues and bury him in the morning."

"Oakheart was Crookedstar's brother and closest friend." Mudfur was suddenly at Rusty's side, and the young tom jumped in surprise. "That molly is Silverstream, Crookedstar's daughter."

Rusty felt a wave of sympathy for Crookedstar, and he was surprised to find that he was saddened himself. _I never got to thank him for saving my life._ He watched as the two cats pulled Oakheart's body into the center of the clearing and laid him there gently. One by one, cats came forward, pushing their muzzles into Oakheart's fur and murmuring before turning away. "What are they doing?" he whispered to Mudfur.

"They are mourning," Mudfur explained, his voice thick with emotion. "It's how we say farewell before Oakheart's spirit travels to StarClan. After each cat takes their turn, those closest to him will stay the rest of the night beside him, sharing tongues for the last time before he is buried."

_StarClan?_ Rusty was full of questions, but felt it would be inappropriate to nag Mudfur any more. After a moment, he quietly asked, "Can… can I go up?"

Mudfur glanced at him oddly. "Why ever would you?"

Rusty looked at his paws. _Did I say the wrong thing?_ "I just—I wanted to thank him. If he hadn't stopped Thistlestar, they would've killed me."

"That's very kind of you," Mudfur murmured, though he sounded a little surprised. "But I think you should wait until everyone else has gone before you do. They won't take well to it. You're an outsider, and the rest of us have lived with and fought beside him for seasons."

Rusty nodded. _I owe Oakheart thanks_, he thought. _He died after saving me._ He swallowed, stomach twisting. _Would he still be alive if I wasn't there?_

He waited patiently as each cat padded forward to say goodbye, and Mudfur left him for a moment to press his muzzle to Oakheart's side. When he returned, he sat beside Rusty, and did not speak. After each cat had gone, Mudfur nodded to him. "Go on. Don't let them think you are afraid."

_Easier said than done! _Rusty gulped and nodded before he stood and padded towards his body. A few cats hissed, but none moved to stop him until he was nearly to Oakheart. The black tom stepped in front of him. "What do you think _you're _doing?" he hissed.

"I wanted to thank him," Rusty mumbled, before recalling Mudfur's words. He raised his head, looking the tom in the eye. "Let me through, please. He saved my life."

The tom blinked, surprised, but didn't move. "What?"

"Let him pass, Blackclaw," Crookedstar rasped. He was sitting near Oakheart's body, Silverstream still at his side.

Blackclaw scowled before stepping away. Rusty padded closer, staring down at the dead tom. Oakheart's ribcage looked like it had collapsed, and his spine was bent at an odd angle. _What a horrible way to die_. He crouched low beside Oakheart, as he had seen the others do. After a moment, he realized the camp had fallen silent as each cat stared at him, watching his every move. "Thank you," he said, softly. "You saved my life. I'm sorry I can't repay that to you." He touched his nose to Oakheart's side before quickly backing away.

The accusing glares and angry mutters seemed to fade as Rusty backed away. _Maybe I did do the right thing,_ Rusty thought hopefully. He returned to Mudfur's side, who gave him an approving nod.

Crookedstar pressed his muzzle to his brother's pelt for a few long moments. Then, he raised his head, gazing solemnly around his Clan. "Because it is already moonhigh, I must name RiverClan's deputy immediately." He paused, and appeared to be thinking. "I say these words before the spirit of Oakheart, and hope that he approves of my choice. Leopardfur will be RiverClan's next deputy."

A dappled golden molly blinked and raised her head, before rising and padding forward. Rusty studied her curiously. _Deputy? Is that like… the second to the leader?_ Whatever it was, it sounded important. Leopardfur seemed cool and composed as she padded towards Crookedstar. She then dipped her head. "Thank you," she said. "I am honored."

The Clan, despite their grieving, threw back their heads and yowled their congratulations. "Leopardfur! Leopardfur!"

Mudfur raised his head proudly, yowling as loudly as he could. Rusty blinked, but again felt that it may be inappropriate for him to call her name with them. As the cheering died away, Mudfur licked his chest fur, insides of his ears red. "That's my daughter," he purred. "She used to be afraid of water, you know!"

Crookedstar stared down at the body of his brother before looking up again. "There is one more thing I wish to do." he fixed his gaze upon Rusty, who stiffened. Was Crookedstar going to change his mind and kill him? "Rusty," he said. "Please come forward."

Rusty blinked, but rose again and padded towards the tom. "Y-yes?" _Oh, please, don't attack me now!_

"I would like to invite you to join our clan," Crookedstar meowed. Instantly, RiverClan was yowling in surprise and protest. He lashed his tail. "Silence! Oakheart saved this kit before he died. Will you disrespect him before he has even been buried?"

Many cats frowned and stared at their paws guiltily. However, even though the Clan fell silent, there were still a few that continued to glare furiously at him.

"Now," Crookedstar went on. "This kittypet, despite his origins, shows promise. He escaped Thistlestar's claws and fled through the forest, a great feat for a cat his age that has been raised lazily." Rusty bristled slightly at the words before he realized there was no malice behind them. Glancing around, he could see a few cats nodding in understanding, though others muttered unhappily. "He then crossed the river with Dawnwhisker—something few outsiders would willingly do."

Crookedstar looked back to Rusty. "Rusty," he asked. "Will you accept? You must understand, training will not be easy, especially since you have not had the conditioning our kits have had. You have not swam in the river before today. You've never hunted for your Clanmates or said thanks to StarClan and to the river. If you are a part of RiverClan, you must work to make these all a part of your life. Will you join RiverClan?"

Rusty was silent for a long moment. _What do I say? I don't know anything about this life._ For a heartbeat, he considered refusing, but he then realized that wasn't what he wanted. _If I go home… if I even _manage _to get home… I'll never be satisfied._ He thought of his dreams, the itch in his claws and pull in his paws that led him to the forest in the first place. He didn't want to be fat and lazy like Henry, or foolish like Smudge.

"Though the training will be hard, the rewards are great," Crookedstar added, when Rusty had not spoken. "You will remain a true tom, unaltered by the Cutter. You will have the loyalty of your Clanmates by your side, should you earn it. You will know _true _honor and pride as a warrior, if you make it through training."

"The Cutter?" Rusty echoed.

"You've seen lazy kittypets, no doubt?" Crookedstar asked. "When toms—and mollies, too, I hear—are old enough, humans take them to the Cutter, and they are never the same. The Cutter steals their strength, and they can no longer bear kits, and they lose any drive or motivation. They sit in the sun and care little for anything but eating and sleeping. That is your future if you return to the human's place. But you are free to do so. Few outsiders would consider this life."

_The vet,_ Rusty realized. _That's when Henry changed!_ Though he had already made up his mind, he was certain now. _I can always go back if it turns out to be terrible, _he told himself. "I—"

"This is ridiculous!" a white tom interrupted, growling. "You can't be serious! How do we know his humans won't come here looking for him? And that _stench _will alert all the prey of his presence!"

Rusty flinched at the unexpected hostility. The white tom was now standing, sneering at Rusty. "You will just eat twice your share and work half as hard as anyone else! We all know kittypets, Cut or not, they're _useless_!"

There were murmurs of agreement from a few cats. Rusty looked back at Crookedstar, unsure of himself.

"Others feel this way?" Crookedstar asked, eyes narrowed.

"I do!" Blackclaw spat. "He's been here long enough. Send him off in the morning and let that be the end of it."

Silverstream touched her tail to her father's shoulder. "Perhaps we should cast stones," she suggested.

Before Rusty could ask what that was, Crookedstar shook his head. "There's no use in having everyone find a stone at this time of night. But I suppose a vote is reasonable for a matter like this." He pushed himself up to sit. "If you think Rusty should be allowed into our Clan, sit by the nursery. If you think he should be escorted from the territory in the morning, sit near the elder's den."

Rusty's nerves only grew as one by one, the cats began to move to opposite sides of camp. Blackclaw and the white tom immediately hurried across the clearing to one of the reed-dens, where they sat, tails twitching irritably. That was clearly the elders' den. Those cats made their displeasure obvious. Three more cats crossed the clearing together, though much slowly than the others. Rusty's heart sank as Leopardfur hesitated, then crossed to the elder's den.

He turned his head to where the other group was gathering. Mudfur and Dawnwhisker were both there, as was Silverstream. A few more cats begin to join them. Rusty looked back and forth between the two—though another cat was joining the dissents, it was clear the nursery side was larger. Finally, the last cat, an elderly molly, sat with the nursery group, and Crookedstar nodded his head slowly.

Rusty puffed out his chest. _They actually want me?_

"You are welcome to join," Crookedstar said. "And the majority of the Clan agrees you are fit to be here. Will you take on the life of a warrior apprentice, knowing all I have told you, and knowing the opinion of my Clan?"

Rusty didn't hesitate this time. "I will!" he replied.

"Very well," Crookedstar meowed. "Then your kittypet life is no more. You are no longer Rusty. From now on, you will be known as Firepaw. Dawnwhisker will be your mentor."

There were no cheers, not even from among those that had voted for him. But Dawnwhisker gave him a smile and a wink as the cats began to split up, and that was enough for him.

"Tonight you can rest in Mudfur's den," Crookedstar went on. "Tomorrow, your training begins." He spoke to all cats next. "Anyone who wishes to share tongues with Oakheart may stay, but the rest should go to your nests."

Most cats retreated to the reed-dens. As Firepaw padded back to Mudfur's den, a few cats who had supported inviting him nodded approvingly.

Firepaw went back into the secluded den, heart racing. _If only Smudge could see me now!_

* * *

**I was originally posting this rewrite up to tumblr, so I'm going to try and get caught up to where I was there today. Which means a few more updates coming out at once!**

**Reviews:**

**KatieK101: It's finally back! I wasn't sure for a long while if I would continue it (and it was definitely a bit of a blow when my rewrite blog was deleted on tumblr when I tried to revive it after...), but I'm just too attached to let it go. I'm even starting to think of possible plots for The New Prophecy... but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it! I'm at least determined to finish the first series. Mosspaw has always been a challenge to squeeze in, for some reason... she honestly still doesn't do much in the first book, but I think there'll be some more time for her to shine in the future.**

**-whisker is for skilled hunters! There'll be a few other times throughout where cats talk about the meanings behind names, but I've also got the full list posted somewhere on the rewrite blog. I hear you about those three - Yellowfang is still going to be called 'Yellowfang', because that one was just too hard to give up, but for the sake of consistency I had to change her actual name. Naming systems can be fun, but they also really disrupt some names I've come to love!**

**FreeEcho: Thanks for reading! I hope you keep enjoying :).**

**Thanks to everyone else who reviewed! **


	6. Chapter 4

In the morning, Dawnwhisker woke Firepaw up with a light jab to his belly. "Wake up."

The tom lifted his head. "Er… huh?" His mind was still dull with drowsiness, and it took him a moment to recognize the molly—his mentor.

"Get up," the molly repeated. "Time to see the territory."

Firepaw parted his jaws in a wide yawn before he rolled over and sat up. He was still so tired, and judging from the dim light outside, it could only have been just past dawn. Why on earth did these cats get up so early?

"Don't worry," Dawnwhisker said, a bit sympathetically. "There'll be time for rest later. RiverClan gets an early start so we can relax in the hottest part of the day. But let's get going."

Reluctantly, Firepaw followed her out of the den. Outside, there were a number of small groups of cats gathering and then leaving the camp together. "Patrols," Dawnwhisker explained. "Best time to fish is around dawn and dusk. We'll join them together once you've become more familiar with the territory." She flicked her tail towards another group, made of a few young cats. "Those are the other apprentices," she meowed. "They'll be your denmates from now on. But you can meet them later. They'll be headed off to battle training today—another important thing you'll have to learn to be a warrior."

_There's a lot to learn,_ Firepaw thought, a bit overwhelmed and still half-asleep. _Training, territory, patrols… then there's this 'StarClan' business and something about a code? How am I supposed to remember it all?_

"Come on," Dawnwhisker said, starting off again. "Let's go."

Together they left the camp. Firepaw was aware of the stares on him, and many weren't quite friendly. They passed the apprentices on the way out, and though most ignored him, one actually hissed as he walked by.

"That was Silverpaw," Dawnwhisker explained as they brushed through the reeds. "Most of that lot will be fine, but he's prickly."

_I'd say!_ Firepaw thought. He just hoped this Silverpaw would leave him alone, at least.

They stopped at the riverbank for a moment after walking through the reeds. "As you know, this is our river," Dawnwhisker began to explain. Fireheart followed her gaze across the wide stretch of the river to Sunningrocks. He suppressed the urge to shudder. _I could have died there yesterday._ "Many generations ago, the river flowed around Sunningrocks there, so it was undisputed as part of our territory. The river flooded, though, and when it returned to its normal size, Sunningrocks turned up on the other side of it. RiverClan and ThunderClan have been fighting for it ever since." She glanced down at Firepaw. "One day, you will be sure to take part in these battles. RiverClan is rarely attacked, but Sunningrocks is guaranteed to be a battle ground."

Firepaw pricked his ears with interest. "Will the fighting ever stop?" he asked. "Didn't you win Sunningrocks yesterday?"

"Well, yes," Dawnwhisker meowed. "But ThunderClan will recover and strike back when they're ready. If they cross the border, then there'll be another fight. Sunningrocks has traded paws many times, Firepaw." She frowned for a moment. "Honestly, I don't think you or I will live to see the day when that fighting stops."

"Some day," she went on, as she turned to start to walk upstream. "You'll learn to swim in the river. But we'll have you practice in the shallows first." Dawnwhisker chuckled to herself. "Like we do with the kits."

_Even the _kits _swim? _Firepaw swallowed at the thought of swimming again. "Um… okay."

Dawnwhisker smiled and flicked Firepaw with her tail. "I know it doesn't sound exciting. But you'll learn in time. Let's keep going."

The pair travelled on up along the river for some time, and Firepaw admired RiverClan's territory—_his _territory—as Dawnwhisker pointed out choice hunting spots or simply quiet, secluded locations. Though there weren't many trees, those that stood were beautiful and not cramped together, as they had been in the forest. Smooth beech trees stood tall and proud, while elegant willows cast shade over parts of the river. As they walked, the river began to curve north, the land began to slope uphill, and the water started to drop farther down from the shore.

"If you look up ahead, you'll see the bridge," Dawnwhisker explained. "Sometimes humans will stay near it for a few days. They set up odd pelt-dens and hunt for fish in the summer. Usually, they don't cause too much trouble, but we try to stay away from them. The worst they can do is throw their rubbish in the river, which poisons the fish, but it isn't usually severe." She veered away from the river, heading north, where the peaks of the mountains could be seen in the far distance. Out this way, there was the beginnings of a moor, covered in bright wildflowers. As they travelled, Firepaw spotted a few huge brown creatures that were eating grass.

"What are those?" Firepaw whispered, staring at the creatures oddly.

"Don't worry, they're just horses," Dawnwhisker explained. "They're grass-eaters, so they won't attack like a fox or badger would. The humans sometimes bring sheep here, which are about half a horse's size and look like clouds." She twitched her whiskers in amusement at Firepaw's nervousness. "Don't worry, they're both peaceful creatures. You could probably take a nap under them and they wouldn't mind. If you do ever get close to them, though, move _slowly_, because if they get spooked, they'll buck and could trample you easily."

Firepaw nodded, but still eyed the tall horses suspiciously as they went on. A few lifted their heads to watch as they went, but most continued to munch on the lush grass. Dawnwhisker eventually flicked her tail to their right, where the human shelters were set up near a large stone bridge, and noted that that was the human site and bridge. Soon they headed back towards the river, where it was now much farther below them.

"This is the gorge," Dawnwhisker explained. "Step forward, _carefully_. Apprentices are never allowed near it except for when it's shown to them. Even warriors avoid it."

Firepaw came forward cautiously, then peered over the end. His stomach surged as he saw the swirling white water that rushed along far below. The gorge itself was about the width of a large road, and the ground at the very edge looked very unstable, like it would crumble away if they stepped any closer.

"The river is deadly here," She cautioned him. "But, it keeps WindClan from invading. All land on that side of the river is theirs."

Firepaw gazed out across the gorge. Across the river, there was a wide moorland that was even farther uphill.

"In fact," Dawnwhisker added, "Here comes WindClan."

Firepaw narrowed his eyes, confused, until he saw three tall, lithe cats streaking after a rabbit down the hillside. He was amazed by their speed—he'd never seen cats moving so quickly. One tom, a young brown tabby, overtook his patrol and caught up to the rabbit before leaping, pouncing, and killing it. The cats had very similar body shape—all were long-legged, and though they were slim, hard muscles showed clearly from under their pelts.

"They mostly hunt rabbits," Dawnwhisker explained. "Cats like us could never run as fast as they do."

_That was amazing! _Firepaw thought. _They were so fast._

The WindClan patrol seemed to have spotted them. The three cats approached their side of the gorge, tails lifted in a friendly greeting. "Dawnwhisker, is that you?" A brown-furred molly called. "I haven't seen your pelt since the last Gathering."

"Morning, Wrenfoot," Dawnwhisker purred. "How's that son of yours?"

Wrenfoot flicked her tail towards the tabby that had caught the rabbit. "Right here," she replied. "He earned his warrior name a half-moon ago!"

The tabby puffed out his chest. "I'm Owlwhisker now!"

"Owlwhisker, huh?" Dawnwhisker meowed. "Seems the name suits you. That was a good catch."

"How's your prey running—er, swimming?" Asked the third cat, a gray tom. He chuckled at his own joke, and his Clanmates gave him a weary look.

"Fine enough, Tornear," Dawnwhisker replied. "But yours runs a little too fast for my liking."

Firepaw shuffled his paws, and the WindClan cats seemed to finally take notice of him. "Oh, who's this?" Wrenfoot asked. "New apprentice?"

Dawnwhisker nodded. "Mine. His name is Firepaw."

Firepaw glanced at her, silently praying that she wouldn't mention his birthright. These cats seemed friendly enough, but did they share his new Clan's sentiment for kittypets?

"Well, that's good to hear," Tornear called. "Good luck with your training, Firepaw. You've got a good mentor."

Firepaw brightened. "Thank you!" _And thank goodness she didn't say anything._

"We'd better keep going," Dawnwhisker said. "Nice seeing you all."

"They were nice," Firepaw remarked, as they continued to follow the gorge upstream.

"They usually are," Dawnwhisker meowed. "WindClan can be quick to take insult, but we don't have many disputes with them since the gorge keeps us both from crossing the border. Of course, there's always the bridge, but taking territory from other Clan would be pointless. It would be too difficult for either of us to reach and patrol. So, we've almost always been peaceful."

_That's good to know, _Firepaw thought. _At least WindClan isn't as heartless as ThunderClan!_

* * *

Firepaw was exhausted when he finished touring the territory. They'd returned to camp a bit past sun-high, and Firepaw's muscles were aching all over again.

"Fetch the elders some prey before you rest," Dawnwhisker told him. "Elders and queens must be fed first. It's an important rule to remember."

Firepaw's own stomach twisted with hunger. He hadn't eaten since yesterday, but he nodded anyway. "Yes, Dawnwhisker."

The fresh-kill pile wasn't surrounded by apprentices as it had been before. There was one plump ginger-and-white molly who was staring down at the fish, tail twitching. As Firepaw approached, she glanced up at him. "Hello there," she meowed. "Don't believe we've been introduced."

"I haven't really met many cats yet," Firepaw replied, dipping his head respectfully. He could tell by her milk-scent that she was a queen, but judging by the size of her belly, she had yet to give birth.

"Shame," the queen said. "I'm Mallowtail. Dawnwhisker is my sister. Did you go see the territory?"

Firepaw nodded. "Yep. It's… really nice." He shifted from paw-to-paw, feeling awkward. _Was she one of the ones that voted for me? I don't remember._

Mallowtail chuckled. "Well, good. I wanted to tell you that it was good you didn't back down to Whiteclaw when he yowled about you last night. I love him, but he can be a bit of a hothead."

"Whiteclaw's your mate?" Firepaw asked, pricking his ears. _I'd better start remembering all of this! There's so many cats here._

Mallowtail nodded as she hooked a trout with her claws and pulled it close. "Yeah. The old badger is stubborn, but he's got a good heart. Just not friendly to outsiders. Stay a while and you might understand why we're not all so welcoming." She smiled at him, and quickly added, "I voted for you, though. See you around." She picked up the trout in her jaws and turned away, heading back to the nursery.

Firepaw watched her go. _I don't really like that Whiteclaw, but… _he thought of Thistlestar and shuddered. _I guess I can see why they don't like outsiders._

He returned his attention to the task at hand. Firepaw chose a plump carp and turned around. Thankfully, he recalled where the elder's den, and padded off towards it. _I hope they're nice like Mallowtail._

Firepaw ducked inside the woven reed den. There were four cats inside—two were older, and the other two seemed about his age. One, a gray molly, had been in the middle of speaking, but she stopped and glanced at him as he entered. All four cats stared silently.

Firepaw dropped the fish. "Sorry if I'm interrupting," he meowed. "I was just bringing some fresh-kill."

"Ah, well, that's always welcome," the elderly gray molly purred. "Bring it here, then."

The larger of the two apprentices leaned in to sniff him as he padded closer. "_That's_ what kittypets smell like?"

The other rolled her eyes and cuffed him over the ears. "I don't think our new denmate is deaf, Beechpaw."

"What?" Beechpaw asked. "I was just _asking_." The brown tom glanced up again as Firepaw dropped the carp at the molly's paws. "Don't kittypets wear collars?"

Although he wasn't sure how to feel about the comment about his scent, Beechpaw didn't sound malicious. "Most of them do," Firepaw answered. "But Thistlestar broke mine when he attacked me."

"Wait," Beechpaw meowed, eyes wide. "You fought _Thistlestar_?"

_I could hardly call that a fight, _Firepaw thought. "Well, sort of…"

"Wow," the other apprentice meowed, eyes wide. "He's a seriously tough cat. No wonder Crookedstar wanted to invite you to the Clan."

"Well," the elder sighed. "If you're done gossiping, you might as well introduce yourselves so I can get back to my story. I'm Graypool, and my companion is Snowfang."

Snowfang, who hadn't said a word the entire time, huffed quietly.

"He doesn't like kittypets much," Graypool said, apologetically. "Don't pay him any attention."

Snowfang glared at her. "Any cat with half a brain doesn't like kittypets." Firepaw flattened his ears and tried to ignore the remark.

"I'm Shadepaw," the second apprentice said. "Guess we'll be training together from now on."

"Yeah, Silverpaw's furious," Beechpaw snickered. "I wouldn't be surprised if he put a dead frog in your nest already."

"Silverpaw's all bark and no bite," Shadepaw retorted. "He always wants to start trouble, but he wilts when someone snaps back."

"True," Beechpaw said. "Remember when he tried to get into it with Minkpaw and she threw him right in the river?"

"Ahem," Graypool coughed. "As I was saying… Do you want me to finish this story or not?"

Beechpaw pricked his ears. "Yes, please!"

"You're welcome to stay for it, Firepaw," Graypool purred. "I'm telling them about how Mudfur won a battle for Sunningrocks all on his own."

_Mudfur?_ Firepaw blinked. _He seems so gentle._ He sat down quietly.

"Where was I?" Graypool muttered.

"Mudfur challenged Adderfang," Shadepaw reminded her.

"Ah, yes, that's right," Graypool said. "Mudfur stepped to the front of the patrol and declared that too many lives had been lost over the rocks. He knew that Adderfang was a respected and mighty warrior of ThunderClan, so he challenged Adderfang to a fight between just the two of them. Adderfang had too much pride to refuse. As soon as Hailstar agreed, Adderfang struck. He lunged for Mudfur, and both cats fought fiercely, swiping and dodging the other's attacks. Adderfang finally managed to get a blow in on Mudfur's belly, and he fell back, yowling like he'd been dealt a death blow."

"It was enough to fool that proud Thunderclanner. Adderfang leaped forward—but Mudfur was ready! He struck him across the face and chest and threw him off easily before he regained his footing. Blood splattered the rocks as the two battled on. Adderfang began to push him back, towards the river, but Mudfur surged forward to meet him head-on, overpowering him. He threw Adderfang to the ground and held him down like you would to an opponent in the water. Adderfang struggled desperately, but Mudfur cut off his breath with a paw, and just like that, Adderfang gave in, and the battle was won."

"Wasn't that when Mudfur decided he wanted to become a medicine cat?" asked Shadepaw.

"Yes," Graypool replied. "He was just… so disillusioned by fighting. Mudfur used to be a great warrior, but he was in battles often because of it. I think losing his mate was the last straw, really."

"Tired of watching cats die," Snowfang grumbled. "Don't blame him. I've watched a Clan's worth of cats die in my lifetime. All of my friends and family, gone. Losing his mate struck a heavy blow."

_Mudfur was a warrior first?_ Firepaw thought.

"But how did he become a medicine cat when he'd already been a warrior?" Beechpaw meowed. "Don't medicine cats get chosen as kits?"

"Usually," Graypool said. "But StarClan must have recognized a connection to him, or they would have rejected him as a medicine cat and Brambleberry would have had him return to his warrior duties."

Firepaw shuffled his paws awkwardly. "Er… what's StarClan?" he asked. "I keep hearing about it."

Beechpaw and Shadepaw stared at him, as though shocked. "You don't know about _StarClan_?" Beechpaw demanded. "Don't kittypets have any faith in their ancestors?"

"Cats outside the Clans generally don't have stories and legends like we do, Beechpaw," Graypool gently reminded him. "But it's important for Firepaw to learn about them."

"Important is an understatement," Snowfang hissed. "StarClan is part of all of us. Faithless fools cannot truly be Clan cats." Firepaw flattened his ears. _It's not my fault I've never heard of them!_

"He has time yet," Graypool said, firmly. "But I don't see why there isn't time for another story. Beechpaw, would you like to tell it? It's your favorite."

The brown tom lifted his head and grinned. "Oh, absolutely! The story of how the Clans started, right?"

"Of course," Graypool purred. "You know it well."

Beechpaw sat up and wrapped his tail around his paws. "Alright, well…"


	7. Chapter 5

"Before the Clans, but after the time of the Great cats, we were scattered throughout the territories," Beechpaw began. "Many cats were loners, but there were some that travelled in groups. They were small, though, nothing like the Clans we have now. They didn't know the first thing about loyalty, and most groups that actually stuck together tended to be family."

"What are 'great cats'?" Firepaw asked, as Beechpaw paused.

"Shh," Graypool shushed him quietly. "Another story for another day."

"Yeah, well, there was one cat that was a newcomer to the territory," Beechpaw went on. "She was said to have come from beyond the mountains. She kept to herself for a while, watching the ways of the other cats. In winter, when prey was scarce, cats would fight over every scrap of prey, and many would die. There were no laws, and there was no Code to guide them. They weren't above killing if it meant their kits could eat."

"You forgot her name," Shadepaw cut in.

"Oh—sorry." Beechpaw licked his chest, embarrassed. "I don't get to tell stories that often. Her real name has been forgotten to time. But we call her Wind, because she was the first leader of WindClan, and the first real leader of any Clan. It's believed that WindClan was the first of all Clans, and that others came together shortly after. Anyway, Wind hated to watch the senseless fighting. She was said to be incredibly wise, and she believed that if only the rogue cats could work together, they could all survive prey-starved seasons. So she set about the moorland first, trying to speak to any cat that would listen to her. Most turned their noses up and went back to their dens."

"But there were some that joined her. They were mostly cats with no family groups. They were the most vulnerable, and the most easily chased off from their catches. Even though Wind could rarely get cats who stuck with their family to join her, she based her plan on them—those cats, though they had more mouths to feed, usually were able to hold on to their dens, hold onto their catches, and even chase cats away from their own prey. She believed that this could be expanded to include more than just one's mate and kits, that if a large group of cats banded together with a common goal of companionship and survival, they would do just as well, if not better. Over time, Wind was able to gather a large number of cats as her followers. They truly believed in her wisdom, and readily stuck together. As they grew in size, they grew in strength, and began to establish a territory where only they could hunt. Anyone who would not join them was chased off to ensure that the prey in the moor remained theirs. Of course, this didn't bode well with other cats who had lived there. Though they recognized the strength that came with numbers, they were too furious to just fall in line with Wind and live on the moorland with her."

"The second Clan is said to be ShadowClan. They were chased across the Thunderpath, towards the barren land they now live in. They found a common interest in their hatred for Wind, and ironically, it drove them to form a large group of their own and establish a rigid territory as well. They had even greater need to stick together in that place. ShadowClan territory has always been scarce of prey, even in the summer. Because they didn't have to kill one another to keep from starving, they were able to hunt together and share their meager findings."

"As the marshland group grew, they began to invade Wind's territory. Their confidence grew with their numbers, and they realized they could beat Wind at her own game, and chase her cats off of the choice parts of their territory in return. The fighting was always vicious, and lives were constantly being lost. This began to take a toll on cats on both sides. Many just wanted peace, not senseless fighting, and some cats began to abandon their groups and head south. Some came here, to the river, and found like-minded cats who had been otherwise loners."

"This was the start of RiverClan, the third Clan. The few loners that lived along the stretch of the river lived relaxed lives, plump and beautiful from the bountiful fish. The former group cats that found themselves at the river loved the promise of a calm life, and they settled down here. Even those from opposing sides eventually began to stick together—while they'd hated the constant fighting, they'd learned that there was sense to having a group."

"Don't think that it means RiverClan can't fight," Shadepaw added, her claws unsheathing for a moment.

Beechpaw rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. We're tough."

"RiverClan is like the river we're named for," Graypool said. "Always flowing, often calm, but ever strong. ThunderClan looks down on us because we know how to relax, but they underestimate our strength."

Firepaw pricked his ears. _Someday I'll be strong like the rest of RiverClan, _he thought.

"Anyway, back to the story," Beechpaw meowed. "The group that became RiverClan stuck together on the shore of the river, protected on all sides by the river. Because of this, they were able to contently avoid most of the conflict. For a long time, they didn't actually mark their borders, believing the river to be enough of one to keep out cats that didn't want to be there. The first medicine cats were said to come from RiverClan, because of the lasting peace, but that's a whole other story too."

"So then there was the group that later became ThunderClan. They came last, but they'll all tell you that their Clan was the first or that we all became Clans at the same time because they're too embarrassed to admit it. Anyway, most rogues and loners, even those in once-safe family groups, had been chased all over the territories as real, strong groups began to spring up around them. Those in the forest really had no choice but to join together, or risk being overrun by a different group. Plus, the forest is teeming with badgers and foxes—which is deadly for a lone cat with no friends. They joined forces, and the few cats left that still didn't want a life as part of a loyalty-bound group fled for good. Many became kittypets or roamed at the edge of the territories, forever bitter over the loss of their homes, but never brave enough to take us on."

_Badgers? Foxes?_ Firepaw still had questions, but he didn't interrupt.

Beechpaw cleared his throat before he continued. "So life continued like this for a while. Wind was proud of the group she had amassed, but in doing so, she'd only strengthened those who wanted her land and prey. Because there was still no code in place to bind them to honor, fighting went on and cats kept dying. Wind came to the conclusion that the groups must all unite, or they would risk falling apart and returning to their old ways. She called for a meeting with all of the group cats, and to her surprise and relief, the three other groups agreed. As with her group, the others had all naturally found someone capable of taking charge, and they had decided they liked the taste of power. When all four groups gathered at Fourtrees, Wind came forward from her cats to speak to all cats."

"'Thank you for agreeing to meet me", she told them. "I will try to be to the point. I gathered my followers because I saw that our land was rife with fighting and suffering. Those who were alone starved or died to defend their scraps of prey, while even cats who stuck with their family hardly got by. In the time that my group and I have joined together, I have watched us flourish. Our kits do not starve, and we do not have to fight each other for the prey on the moor. But still, we fight all of you, and I know you fight with each other.'"

"'We know this, rabbit-breath," hissed the leader of the forest cats. He was a massive tom, with a handsome brown tabby pelt. Even Wind herself stiffened at his voice. "It was you who first chased cats from the moor and caused the same to happen across these territories. Get to the point.'"

"I heard he had a ginger pelt," Shadepaw interrupted with a flick of her tail. "That's what Sandpaw told me."

"Oh, who cares about what his fur looked like?" Beechpaw groaned. "Are you telling this story, or am I?"

"Sorry," Shadepaw muttered. "Go on."

"Thanks," Beechpaw muttered. "So Wind says, "I want to put an end to our rivalry. I think that all of our groups should join forces as one. This will allow us to stop the fighting and focus on surviving together."

"'That's ridiculous!" protested a cat from the river group. She was the one that her group looked to for guidance, as she was the first one to teach herself to swim. "There are so many of us and so much land. Who would lead all these cats?'"

"The marshland group's leader stepped forward. He was a skinny thing, but he had a dangerous, cunning look in his eye. "I don't see why I couldn't step up," he hissed. "My cats may have the worst choice of land, but we're by far more resourceful than the rest of you." Of course, this didn't sit well with cats from outside his group. There were protests from the three other groups, and each began to shout for their own leader to challenge him. It isn't known who struck the first blow, but first it was two cats who leaped for each other, and within moments, chaos broke out among the groups. Cats turned on each other as they fought ruthlessly, still thinking of nothing but their own survival and dominance."

Beechpaw stretched out his legs and cleared his throat. "The battle raged until nightfall. There were so many cats and so much blood—it was impossible to tell friend from foe. Cats fell like leaves in the winter, and their friends and family kept fighting to avenge them. It seemed that they would keep fighting until every last cat was dead in the clearing. The only light illuminating the clearing in the darkness was the moon—but out of nowhere, the clearing was suddenly plunged into total darkness. Clouds, as though appearing from thin air, had covered it fully, blocking out every ray of light. Cats ceased fighting and began to cry out in fear and confusion."

"Suddenly, dim light began to shine from around them. The spirits of their fallen allies had risen from their bodies like wraiths, and all fell quiet as they gazed upon them in awe. The spirit-cats weaved around the living, finding their loved ones among those that remained. "You must stop this violence," the spirits told them. "But not like this. You have found your own ways, in your own homes. But without change, there can only be more death. You must find honor in your life, and stick to your own borders. You cannot be rogue groups any longer—you must become noble Clans, or you will fall apart and kill each other like you have tonight.'"

"'But I thought this was the way," an exhausted Wind said. "I didn't want a fight, I just wanted us to join together!'"

"One of the spirit-cats shook their head. "You had good intentions, but this isn't the solution. There are too many differences between you and too many old grudges to create an alliance. You must all build honor within your groups, but you must keep to your own places. Defend your territory, but do not needlessly trespass on another. You must find a way to create structure, or you will all fall to battles like these.'"

"And then, like mist, the spirits dissolved and rose to the sky. The living watched as they went up, and after they had vanished, the first stars appeared in the sky. The stars are the spirits of our ancestors, and they watch over us with Silverpelt. Our souls will all pass on one day and go to be with Silverpelt, and we will make the night sky a little brighter as we watch over our Clanmates for all time to come."

"Silverpelt?" Firepaw echoed.

"The sky, the mother of cats," Shadepaw explained. "But she's part of a different story, too. All you need to know for now is that she created us, and she watches over us with the moon and the sun. She keeps the souls of departed warriors close to her, providing them a comfortable afterlife as they join her in the sky."

"Silverpelt is an important figure in our Clans, too," Graypool explained. "But you've got moons to learn about her, and more about StarClan."

Firepaw thought on this for a moment. _The stars are the spirits of warriors… _He wasn't sure he entirely believed it, not yet, but the idea did sound nice.

"I'm sure it's quite a lot to hear," Graypool went on. "But StarClan is very important to us. They watch over us and guide us in times of need. You'll see, though—perhaps your trip to the Moonstone will convince you more."

"What's that?" Firepaw asked. _I swear, if someone says 'another different story' again…_

"Silverpelt dropped it into the mountains when she gave life to us," Shadepaw explained. "It allows us to see StarClan, in rare times. Mostly just medicine cats, though."

"Warriors don't speak to StarClan," Snowfang muttered. "Foolish apprentice."

"Snowfang is just old and bitter," Graypool sighed. "He didn't dream when he got to visit the Moonstone."

"We don't talk about whether or not we dreamt, Graypool," growled Snowfang.

"What apprentice doesn't?" Graypool chuckled. "Now, go on with you three. I think Snowfang needs his space and I'm quite tired myself."

"Yes, Graypool," Shadepaw meowed. "Have a good rest." She was the first to stand and leave.

Beechpaw stood, but hesitated. "Did I do a good job?" he asked. "With the story?"

Graypool laid down and tucked her paws under her chest. "Oh, of course you did," she said, smiling. "You're getting much better at storytelling."

Beechpaw puffed out his chest proudly and grinned. "Thanks!" He turned towards the mouth of the den. "Come on, Firepaw. You eaten yet?"

Firepaw quickly rose. "Not yet," he replied. "Not since yesterday."

"Great StarClan!" Beechpaw exclaimed. "I can't go even a half a day without eating something. Come on, then. We eat well in RiverClan."

Firepaw purred gratefully as he followed Beechpaw out of the elder's den. _I'm not sure what to make of Shadepaw, but Beechpaw sure is nice!_


	8. Chapter 6

Two days passed. Firepaw was already falling into the routine of things, even if he was hardly doing anything meaningful. The day after his tour of the territory had been a fishing lesson, which consisted of sitting by the water for ages and him catching nothing. Dawnwhisker had caught plenty, but Firepaw's efforts brought nothing. His mentor had assured him that every apprentice takes a while until they catch prey, but it certainly didn't make him feel better. On the second day, Mallowtail had begun kitting, and Dawnwhisker had taken the day off to be with her. While the other apprentices were led out by their mentors, Firepaw had sat alone, bored out of his mind.

The next morning, however, Dawnwhisker woke him up bright and early. "Battle practice," she explained, as she led him out of the den. "Would you like to meet Mallowtail's kits first, though?"

Firepaw pricked his ears. _Mallowtail was really nice. Why not?_ "Sure!"

Dawnwhisker smiled. "Alright. We'll join the others after. Usually we wouldn't let outsiders into the nursery, but you're young enough, so…"

"What do you mean?" Firepaw asked, as they padded across camp.

"Well, toms who haven't grown up in the Clans often have… an instinct to harm kits that aren't of their blood. I don't really understand it much, but it's like they can't control themselves." Dawnwhisker frowned. "It's sad. But you're hardly more than a kit yourself, so Mudfur said it should be fine. He thinks if you see enough kits while you're still young it won't be a problem."

_I didn't know about that, _Firepaw thought. _Sounds… strange._

Dawnwhisker led him into the nursery. It was warm and quiet, and though smaller than the apprentices den, it was quite cozy. The ground was covered in moss, grass, and feathers, and in the back of the den lay Mallowtail, curled around her newborns. The queen lifted her head and blinked tiredly before she smiled. "Oh, hello," she purred. "Brought your apprentice to meet my kits?"

Dawnwhisker nodded. "You can step closer, Firepaw."

The young tom moved closer and peered towards the queen's belly. There were three tiny kittens tucked under her tail. _They're not even as big as rats!_ Firepaw thought. _I guess they're cute, though._ "Have you named them?" he asked.

Mallowtail nodded. "Maplekit, Shellkit, and Duckkit. Maplekit for the molly, Duckkit and Shellkit for the toms." She touched her paw to each kit as she said the name—a tortoiseshell, a patched ginger-and-white, and a white kit with one little ginger paw.

"They're great names," Dawnwhisker purred. "I wish we could stick around, but battle practice is happening today and it'll be Firepaw's first go of it."

"Ah," Mallowtail said, and chuckled quietly. "Well, good luck."

Dawnwhisker led them out as quickly as they'd come in. "Let's try to catch up," she meowed. "It won't be bad if they start without us, but I don't want you to miss too much." She kept a quick, steady pace as they padded out of the camp and followed the river downstream.

"Dawnwhisker?" Firepaw asked, as they passed through the reeds. "Why'd you want to introduce me to her kits?"

"Because family is very important to the Clans," Dawnwhisker replied. "Especially in RiverClan. We're like one big family here. Even if we fight sometimes, we still have to stick together. Most cats help out the queens, more so than in other Clans. It's both a way of building trust and sharing the work of the Clan."

"Oh," Firepaw replied, not entirely understanding at all. "I didn't know my family."

"You'll get used to it," Dawnwhisker responded breezily. "It'll take time for them to get used to you, but once you've been here long enough, you'll get it. Our loyalty is important. It's how we stay strong as a Clan." She blinked down at him. "Do you have any other questions?"

Firepaw was full to the brim of questions, as always, but he went with the one that he'd been wondering about since he met Graypaw. "Why do we all have two-part names?" he asked. "It's kind of… weird."

"Well, a few reasons," Dawnwhisker meowed. "The first part, the part given at birth, usually has to do with appearance. You're Firepaw because you've got a bright red pelt. Even if a cat hadn't met you, they'd have an idea of what you looked like. The second part is about status, and when you're a warrior, it often is about skill or really notable physical traits. The kits all get called kit, apprentices are 'paws, and leaders all earn 'star' when they lead the Clan." She flicked her tail. "I'm named Dawnwhisker for my hunting ability. When I became a warrior, Crookedstar believed that I was a skilled hunter, so he gave me that name. All of our names have meaning, Firepaw. They aren't weird."

_It's still weird, _Firepaw thought, privately. _But that does make more sense. Firepaw does sound cooler than Rusty. I wonder what kind of name I'll get when I become a warrior?_

"We're almost there," Dawnwhisker meowed, after a few moments of silence. "Come on, let's pick up the pace."

* * *

The training place was in a clearing in the center of a beech copse, near the river, but not close enough that tussling cats would roll on in. All the other apprentices and mentors were there, and Firepaw was a bit overwhelmed. Other than Beechpaw and Shadepaw, the other apprentices had mostly ignored him. But Minkpaw, Grasspaw, Mosspaw, and Silverpaw were all here, in addition to that pair—and Silverpaw, the only other apprentice who didn't ignore him, was glaring at him.

In the center of the clearing, Minkpaw and Shadepaw were sparring. Shadepaw was swiping quickly at Minkpaw's face, driving her back. Minkpaw was either in a daze or just had no idea what to do—the black molly was being pushed back and she hadn't even attempted to retaliate. Finally, Minkpaw ducked and rolled to the side, but Shadepaw easily turned and pounced on her. The two rolled over for a moment, before Shadepaw came out on top. The gray molly pinned her and grinned victoriously. "Did you sleep well enough?" she asked. "You're off your game today!"

Minkpaw just shrugged as Shadepaw let her up.

_That was weird, _Firepaw thought. He hadn't talked to Minkpaw much, but she didn't seem the type to just hand over a win like that.

Minkpaw's mentor, Voleclaw, shook his head. "Minkpaw… I don't even know what to say. You're fighting Silverpaw next, because I need to see some serious improvement _right now._"

Minkpaw shrugged again. "Whatever."

Silverpaw smirked as he traded places with Shadepaw in the center of the clearing. "You're going down."

"Last time you said that I put you in the river," Minkpaw growled.

Firepaw twitched an ear. _I wouldn't mind watching that._ He had managed to mostly avoid Silverpaw, but the other tom would usually still glare or hiss at him if Firepaw got too close.

"Begin!" Voleclaw ordered.

Silverpaw charged towards Minkpaw, but she was ready, and sidestepped with startling ease. As he skidded past, she whipped around and landed a blow on his side—if her claws were unsheathed, Firepaw was sure it would've left a nasty scratch. Silverpaw hissed and turned, but not quickly enough. Minkpaw lashed out again and caught him across the face, forcing him to step back. She hissed, before she reared up and swiped at his ears again.

Firepaw's eyes widened. _She's doing so much better now!_

Silverpaw managed to get a blow on her shoulder, but Minkpaw soon pounced and bowled him over. She pressed a paw to his throat and held him for a moment, before she stepped off and huffed. "Good enough now?"

"_Much_ better," Voleclaw grumbled. "Come here."

Blackclaw, who was Beechpaw's mentor, seemed to have been watching Firepaw. "Say, Dawnwhisker, why don't you give Firepaw a go at Beechpaw?"

Dawnwhisker frowned. "He hasn't had any training yet…"

"That's what we're for," Blackclaw smoothly replied. "Come on, Beechpaw, step forward."

"I want to try," Firepaw meowed, glancing up at his mentor.

Dawnwhisker still looked uncertain, but she nodded. "Alright, Firepaw. Oh, remember—claws sheathed for training."

_Claws sheathed,_ he told himself. As he stepped forward to face Beechpaw, instinct urged him to let out his claws, but he held them in and stared down the apprentice. Beechpaw was much larger than he was—in fact, he was the bulkiest out of all the apprentices.

"Begin!" Blackclaw ordered.

Beechpaw charged for Firepaw. Firepaw tried to copy what he'd seen Minkpaw do, by sidestepping, but it was sloppy and slow and a heavy paw collided with his chest as Beechpaw lashed out of him. It didn't hurt, but it did unbalance him a bit. Firepaw stepped back. He tried to swat at Beechpaw's face, but the tom ducked, shot forward, and headbutted him in the throat. Firepaw choked and stumbled back again.

Beechpaw reared up on his hind legs as Shadepaw had done, and Firepaw gulped. He tried to dodge, but Beechpaw's paws hit his flank, shoving him over. Swiftly, the brown tom reared up again, and slammed his paws down on Firepaw's side, winding him. Firepaw wheezed, and was helpless as Beechpaw pressed a foot to his throat. "I win!" Beechpaw purred.

"_Great_ job, Beechpaw," Blackclaw praised, with a smirk cast at Dawnwhisker. "I think the rest of us ought to move on and do some hunting. Perhaps you should stay and teach the kittypet a few actual moves, eh, Dawnwhisker?"

Firepaw glanced at Dawnwhisker as Beechpaw let him up. The molly looked furious, ears flat and lip nearly curled back. "Very well," she growled.

_Is she mad at me?_ Firepaw wondered, feeling flat with defeat. _Or just at Blackclaw?_

"Sorry," Beechpaw whispered. "But training is training." Without waiting for a reply, he hurried to catch up to his mentor as Blackclaw led the others out of the training clearing.

Dawnwhisker sighed softly. "Perhaps we should work on your swimming practice instead," she suggested.

"I want to learn how to fight," Firepaw said. _That was pretty humiliating. Especially with the way Blackclaw was gloating…_

"I think you've had enough battle practice for now," Dawnwhisker replied. "Come on. We do a lot of fighting in the river, too, and cats won't take you seriously here if you can't swim."

Firepaw lowered his head as Dawnwhisker rose and began to pad away from the beeches. Was his own mentor so disappointed in him that she didn't think it was worth teaching him any fighting moves?

Firepaw sighed and followed. _I guess it's better than laying around in camp all day._


	9. Chapter 7

Firepaw's first catch came after nearly half a moon of training. It was a frog, and though it was a small thing, Dawnwhisker had praised him and told him that he would be catching even more prey soon. She'd sent him back to camp to put it on the fresh-kill pile, saying that it was important to show the Clan he was capable of hunting.

Firepaw was back in camp now. He tossed the frog on the pile, and felt a little rush of pride. It was meager, and he knew it, but it felt good to finally contribute _something_.

Unfortunately, the first cat to notice was Silverpaw. The tom padded up to the fresh-kill pile, and stared down at the dead frog. "Did you finally catch something, Drypaw?" he sneered. "It's almost enough for a kit to eat."

Firepaw sighed tiredly. "Don't you have the elders' nests to change, Silverpaw?"

Silverpaw ignored the reply. "I bet you stepped on it on accident and didn't even _really _catch it. Did you even thank StarClan for the lucky catch?"

Firepaw flattened his ears and growled. No, he hadn't, but he couldn't flat-out admit it to Silverpaw. He still didn't know the first thing about customs or StarClan, and though Dawnwhisker had mentioned giving thanks to StarClan one time, it had slipped his mind.

Silverpaw reached out and hooked a plump fish off the pile with his claws. "You'll never be a real warrior," he hissed. "Remember that, kittypet." He picked up the fish in his jaws and padded away, tail held high.

Firepaw bristled with fury. _I hate Silverpaw!_ He thought, lashing his tail. _I haven't even done anything to him!_ He whipped around towards the reeds that bordered the camp and padded back through them. _I'll show him,_ he thought. _I'll go catch more prey and throw it right in his face!_

* * *

Firepaw had wandered up the river for a while, still seething. He'd missed two birds, confused a snail for a mouse, and hadn't caught a thing. _I'm not going back until I catch something!_

He continued up along the river until he found himself at the human bridge. Dawnwhisker had told him that, while ThunderClan territory was close to the other side, the land across it was neutral territory until you got to Fourtrees. So perhaps it would be alright to cross? He hadn't seen the other side yet, and there could be prey over there.

Firepaw cautiously padded onto the stone surface. The bridge was flat, and made of small rocks - not smooth like a road was. Seeing as it wasn't going to collapse under his weight, he hurried on along to the other side.

As Firepaw reached the other end, he heard furious yowls to his right. He jumped, and whipped around to face the source of the sound. _Is ThunderClan invading? Or is this their territory now?_

But it seemed the yowls weren't for him. As he spotted the ThunderClan patrol, far down the length of the river, he realized they were chasing something, and they were all running right towards the bridge. He narrowed his eyes, trying to make out what they were pursuing.

There was a large, long-furred gray cat racing on ahead of the patrol. _A cat?_ he thought. _Why are they chasing a cat?_

But they stopped as the treeline ended, as though that was where the border lay. The ThunderClan cats spat and hissed, before one tom called, "Don't come back, you mange-pelt!"

The gray cat didn't stop. They continued to run on, either unaware that the pursuers gave up, or simply wanting to put more distance between them. The cat continued to run, and they were getting ever-closer to Firepaw.

The ginger tom bristled as he realized that the cat had spotted him. The stranger narrowed their eyes and charged on.

"Stop!" Firepaw snarled. "This is RiverClan territory!"

"Hah!" The gray cat spat. "Just a puny apprentice. Get out of my way, flea!"

His eyes widened. _She isn't going to stop!_ Firepaw held his ground as the molly charged right for him and leaped. The apprentice dodged to the side, and she missed. The molly landed sloppily, and grunted as she regained her footing and turned to face him.

"Hmm, quick," she muttered. "But you won't stop me. I must get to RiverClan."

"Well, you can't!" Firepaw spat, still startled by the sudden attack. "Go away. Cross this bridge and you'll be a trespasser."

The molly stared at him before breaking out into rough laughter. "You're brave, apprentice, but you're stupid. You think you can beat _me_?" Her laughter cut off as she coughed loudly.

Firepaw got a good look at her as she continued coughing. The molly was large, with thick fur, but her pelt was messy, and it was covered in dirt and burrs. He could smell her unpleasant stench from where he stood, a fox-length away. _She's either sick or hasn't groomed herself in a moon!_ he thought. _Maybe both._ She had a wide, flat face, unlike any cat he'd seen before.

She curled her lip, revealed a set of yellowed teeth. "Quit staring at me, scrap. Get out of my way. Don't you know who I am?"

Firepaw growled. "I don't care. You're an intruder."

The molly narrowed her eyes and looked him up and down. "You aren't Clanborn, are you?" she asked, before smirking. "Can't be a rogue, either, you're too small for that. Could pass for RiverClan if it weren't for that thin fur of yours. A kittypet, perhaps?"

_How could she tell? _Firepaw's eyes widened. He had lost his kittypet scent in the time he'd been with RiverClan, and there was no way anyone would have happily admitted to outsiders that they'd accepted a kittypet into their ranks. "I'm a RiverClan apprentice!" he finally snapped.

The ragged molly laughed again. "Thought I'd seen it all," she wheezed, shaking with mirth. "Then I see that RiverClan brought a kittypet into their Clan!" She shook her wide head. "Get out of my way," she repeated. "Last chance before I beat you into mousedust."

Firepaw wasn't fooled. _She can't be very healthy, not with the way she landed and was having a coughing fit. She must be exhausted by being chased by ThunderClan, too._ "Stay off our territory!"

The molly narrowed her eyes. She braced herself, as though to spring, but she wheezed once before she began coughing loudly again. "Oh, fox-dung," she swore, before doubling over.

Firepaw saw his chance. He darted forward and swiped, striking her shoulder. The molly stumbled, but she retaliated quickly. She ducked down and sank her teeth into his leg. Firepaw screeched and dropped to the ground. Lashing out with a hind paw, he caught her right in the forehead and pummeled her until she released him. She crouched, eyes clenched shut, and Firepaw quickly stood again and prepared to strike.

He hesitated. The molly hadn't moved again. She groaned quietly before she flopped over onto side. "Well?" she choked out, as he continued to stand there. "Finish me off, then. You're a warrior apprentice dealing with an intruder, remember?"

Firepaw frowned. _She might be an intruder, but she's old and weak,_ he thought. _I still don't really know the Code… but aren't we supposed to take care of injured cats?_ "No," he finally said. "I'm not going to kill you."

"Ugh," the she-cat moaned, her head dropping to the ground. "Why are apprentices always so useless? Can't you see I'm wasting away? And if you won't let me into RiverClan, you might as well do me away for good."

Firepaw continued to study her silently. _She's got to be a Clan cat, with the way she's talking, _he thought. _So why is she alone?_ "You're tired and weak," he pointed out. "It would be cruel to kill you. Besides, I'm pretty sure the Code is pretty against that sort of thing." _Not that I think I could actually… even do that._

"Bah," the she-cat wheezed. "You don't even know the Code." She was silent for a few moments, before she lifted her head again. "Well. If you aren't going to kill me, and you aren't going to let me go to RiverClan, do something useful and get me something to eat."

Firepaw flicked his tail. "You can't order me around," he retorted. _But she must be starving… I guess I could try. Not that I know I'll actually catch something._ "But fine. I will. Stay here."

The ragged molly shifted slightly so she could lay her wide head on her paws. "And if you're going to feed me, bring me something good, eh? No rotting toads or meatless lizards."

_Lizards?_ Firepaw thought. _Nobody here even eats lizards._ He shook his head and turned around to cross the bridge again. _I came out here to hunt prey anyway, so…_

It took him awhile, but he did manage to catch an old magpie. It was a sloppy catch, but he'd done it. Firepaw returned to the molly with the bird in tow. She was still right where he'd left her, at the edge of the bridge. She lifted her head, and though her expression betrayed nothing, her dull eyes seemed to brighten at the prospect of prey.

Firepaw dropped it in front of her nose. "Eat," he said.

The molly sniffed it and huffed. "It's old," she complained. "It'll be all stringy."

"It's still fresh-kill, you ungrateful old mange-pelt," Firepaw snapped. Twice today he'd had cats mock the only two catches he'd ever made, and the old she-cat bossing him around and complaining was all the more irritating.

The molly just let out a throaty laugh. "I'd rip out your whiskers if I wasn't so tired." She sniffed the magpie again before she began to pluck out the feathers to get to the flesh. Firepaw sat down, tail twitching. _Well… now what do I do? I can't just leave her here, but—_

"Firepaw!" came a furious yowl. "Are you eating your catch?"

Firepaw froze. He recognized the voice as Leopardfur's before he looked over his shoulder to see the deputy leading a patrol right over the bridge towards them. Behind her was Weaselfoot, Beetleclaw, and Silverpaw—three of the cats who had no love for Firepaw. He grimaced. _This isn't going to be good._

"He's not even eating it!" Beetleclaw spat. "He's feeding a _rogue_!"

The patrol caught up to him easily. The molly made as though to get up, but she winced, and stayed where she was. Beetleclaw and Weaselfoot stood near her, hissing. Leopardfur stared at the molly for a long moment. "That's not a rogue, you daft minnow-brain!" she growled. "That's the ShadowClan medicine cat. Mirestorm, you've fallen on hard times, it seems."

"No one's called me Mirestorm in seasons," the molly wheezed. Her ears were flat, and it seemed she had the sense not to be as snappish as she had been with Firepaw. "Not since Brokenstar became leader, anyhow."

Leopardfur twitched her ear. "Then what do we call you?"

"They all called me Yellowfang," she muttered. "Feel free to call me that or not. Brokenstar sure seemed to think it was hilarious."

"Yellowfang, then," Leopardfur said. "Why've you come? Unless you're here on business with Mudfur, you are a trespasser." She eyed Firepaw, disappointment clear in her eyes. "Though it seems our apprentice believed you were a welcome guest."

"That's not what I—" Firepaw tried to explain, but Leopardfur lashed her tail.

"Silence," she ordered. "You can give your excuses to Crookedstar when we return." Leopardfur returned her attention to Yellowfang. "I'm still waiting."

Yellowfang flicked her tail. "I'm not part of ShadowClan anymore," she meowed. "I come seeking sanctuary. I need protection from Brokenstar."

_Brokenstar?_ Firepaw thought. _Is that the leader of ShadowClan?_

"Why would we offer it to you?" Weaselfoot spat. "If you're not with ShadowClan, you're a rogue!"

"And you stink like human garbage," Beetleclaw hissed. "You'll bring sickness to our kits."

Leopardfur silenced the toms with a glare. "What would you offer us in return?" she asked.

Yellowfang shrugged. "I'm a medicine cat, isn't that enough?" she asked. "Even if I had nothing, I'm allowed safe passage and care wherever I go. But I have my skills as a healer. Surely RiverClan could always use another, unless Mudfur took on an apprentice at last."

Leopardfur shook her head. "We'll bring you to camp," she said. "But I promise no protection. That'll be Crookedstar's choice, especially considering you _aren't _really a Clan cat anymore."

Yellowfang raised her head and curled her lip. "I will always be a Clan cat," she spat. "Brokenstar and his lies can't stop that."

"Either way," Leopardfur said. "It isn't my choice. Get up. We'll take you back to camp. Can you walk?"

"I can walk fine," Yellowfang growled. She stood, a bit wobbly. "Let's go."

Leopardfur turned and began to pad back across the bridge. Yellowfang went behind her, with Weaselfoot and Beetleclaw flanking her. Silverpaw and Firepaw took up the rear.

Silverpaw cast a smirk at Firepaw. "I bet Crookedstar will exile you," he meowed. "Or maybe he'll just have you cleaning the elder's ticks for the rest of your life."

Firepaw flattened his ears. _Would Crookedstar _actually _exile me for feeding her?_ "Oh, shut up, Silverpaw."

Silverpaw didn't reply, but the mocking grin didn't fade at all during the walk home.


	10. Chapter 8

"So," Crookedstar meowed. "Let me make sure I understand everything. You went back out to hunt again, alone, and decided to cross the bridge." At Firepaw's nod, he continued. "Then you saw ThunderClan chasing Mire—Yellowfang off their territory. She tried to attack you and demanded you let her into RiverClan territory. You fought for a moment, but stopped because she was exhausted. _Then,_ you left an intruder on our border to hunt for her, bring her back prey, and feed her?"

"That's the gist of it," Firepaw mumbled. "I—"

"I don't know what to do with you," Crookedstar said, cutting him off. "First, apprentices are not to hunt or patrol on their own without clear permission. You may be new here, but you should know that. Even if that had escaped your attention, intruders are to be challenged, not _fed_. You wasted a piece of prey on a cat that you knew nothing about."

Crookedstar paused, and Firepaw finally spoke again. "I couldn't just chase her off," he meowed. "She was so… helpless. Even though she was acting as mean as a dog."

Crookedstar twitched his tail. "Even considering this, Mirestorm… I mean, Yellowfang—she _is_ a medicine cat. Medicine cats are entitled to certain… privileges, you could say. However, they certainly _aren't _supposed to attack lone apprentices, and her being on her own is suspicious…" he closed his eyes for a few moments.

Firepaw shuffled his paws. "Are you going to exile me?" he asked.

Crookedstar opened his eyes. "Great StarClan, no. You behaved very foolishly, Firepaw, and you _will_ have some kind of punishment, you can be sure of that. But I won't be banishing you from the Clan for something like this."

Firepaw let out a breath in relief.

Crookedstar sighed. "I won't be taking you out of training," he said. "That wouldn't be helpful to you or your Clanmates. I'll think on this for a bit and speak to Dawnwhisker. You are dismissed."

Firepaw nodded, his nerves returning as he rose and left the den. _He won't exile me… but I'm definitely in trouble._

To his surprise, Beechpaw and Minkpaw were sitting outside the leader's den. He considered Beechpaw a friend, but didn't spend much time with Minkpaw. The black she-cat twitched her tail curiously as he padded out. "Did he actually exile you? Silverpaw was certain he would."

"No," Firepaw meowed. "I'm in trouble, but he said I wasn't banished."

"Obviously," Beechpaw said, rolling his eyes. "That's just stupid."

"What? I didn't say _I _wanted him to be," Minkpaw retorted. "He's alright. Better company than Silverpaw, at least."

"Thanks, I guess," Firepaw meowed. "I couldn't tell just how angry he was. He seemed pretty furious at first, but then he just said he's 'think a bit' about my punishment."

"I wouldn't worry much," Minkpaw said with a shrug. "Crookedstar's a big old softie, honestly. Don't get me wrong, he's the best leader RiverClan could have, but he's too nice to just go doling out punishments."

Beechpaw nodded in agreement. "Oh, yeah. You won't be in too much trouble, Firepaw. Maybe you'll be cleaning ticks for a few days, but it won't be too bad. Now I hear that in ShadowClan, they think up all sorts of awful punishments for _their_ apprentices…"

The three apprentices jumped as Leopardfur padded by and stopped to meow, "That's right. Be thankful Crookedstar is kinder to you all. Rainfoot told me that a troublemaking apprentice once had to clear out a fire ant nest on his own. Came back bitten up terribly." She stared right at Firepaw, expression unreadable.

Firepaw gulped uneasily. _I have a feeling that Leopardfur would have some kind of thing like that in mind if she was leader…_

Though the deputy wasn't cruel or even particularly unkind, she simply was cold. Not just to Firepaw, really, but to every cat. She spoke little and when she did, it was often to give criticism. A compliment was rare, as Firepaw had quickly learned, and he knew had a long way to go before he had even a whisker of approval from Leopardfur.

"That's just cruel," Beechpaw muttered. "No wonder ShadowClan cats are so grumpy. I would be too!"

There was the sound of pawsteps from behind Firepaw as Crookedstar emerged from his den. The apprentices all watched as he leaped on top of a stone that sat near his den and let out a yowl. "All cats old enough to fish gather here for a Clan meeting!"

"What's that about?" Minkpaw whispered.

"Likely the trespasser that Firepaw hunted for," Leopardfur replied, a sharp edge to her tone. She padded past them to sit closest to Crookedstar.

"We can hear fine from here," Beechpaw said. "Besides, I don't want to go sit by Leopardfur. She's in an odd mood."

"She's _always_ in a mood," Minkpaw retorted.

Firepaw moved to sit beside Beechpaw. The rest of the Clan quickly gathered—it was sunhigh, so most cats were in camp resting. When Crookedstar seemed satisfied with the attendance, he sat, wrapping his tail around his paws. Firepaw blinked as he noticed Mudfur and Silverstream escorted a still-bedraggled Yellowfang from the medicine cat's den. The three cats sat close to the stone as well.

"Cats of RiverClan, we have a visitor in our camp," Crookedstar began. "Most of you should know of her. ShadowClan's former medicine cat was found by Firepaw on the human bridge. I have spoken to both her and Firepaw about her appearance her. She wishes not to speak much on why she has left ShadowClan, but she attempted to seek refuge in ThunderClan, and they chased her from the territory."

"Wait, she _left_ ShadowClan?" Skyheart asked. "Why would a medicine cat abandon their Clan?"

"Are you daft?" Yellowfang sharply asked. "Or do you just not pay attention to the Clans you share borders with? Spending too much time sunning yourself these days?"

Reedtail stood and curled his lip. "Watch how you speak to us, rogue!"

Crookedstar flicked an ear. "Calm yourselves, please. Though I do wonder what you mean by that, Yellowfang, since you expressed the need for secrecy."

Yellowfan lashed her tail. "Your comfortable lives behind the river have always cut you off from the going-ons of the other Clans," she muttered.

"Speak plainly, crone, or be silent," Blackclaw growled.

Yellowfang stared at him without speaking. Crookedstar sighed. "I will be speaking to you again after this meeting, in the chance that you have decided to share something else you know. Anyhow… Yellowfang claims that she is no longer in ShadowClan's ranks. If she were a warrior, it would be appropriate to consider her a rogue, but given that she is a medicine cat, I believe it is in RiverClan's best interests to allow her to stay with us, for a time."

Leopardfur's pelt seemed to bristle in the slightest. "Crookedstar, why?" she asked. "ShadowClan may be a desolate place, but they value their medicine cats as much as any other Clan. How can you accept her silence and trust that she isn't a danger to our Clan?"

Yellowfang watched the deputy as she spoke, eyes narrowed. "Cast me out if you please," she said, voice low and dangerous. "It is up to StarClan to judge you, not I."

There were a few dubious mutters passed between Clanmates at these words. Firepaw wasn't sure what she meant by it, but he felt unsettled by the change in the mood of the Clan. "Why's everyone worried now?" he whispered.

"Medicine cats are special," Beechpaw murmured back. His tail was twitching nervously. "They have a connection to StarClan that average warriors don't. If we rejected a medicine cat in need of help… StarClan could curse us."

"StarClan isn't cruel," Minkpaw whispered. "But… they wouldn't look favorably on us for throwing her out, if she really _does_ need help…"

Crookedstar shifted his paws. "If Yellowfang presents herself as a threat to our Clan, she will be dealt with accordingly. But medicine cats—regardless of Clan—are deserving of our respect. Perhaps she will even prove an asset to the Clan. That being said, we don't know her well enough to put unconditional faith in her. Yellowfang, until I decide otherwise, will be under guard at all times. Firepaw, as you found and already have taken it upon yourself to feed her, you will serve as her main caretaker."

Firepaw blinked. _What?_

Crookedstar went on. "You will hunt for her and care for her as though she were any other elder or queen. You will train as usual when you are not attending to her, but should you have free time on your paws, it will be your duty to guard her."

Firepaw flattened his ears, embarrassed, as a number of cats turned to stare at him. "Y-yes, Crookedstar."

"Good. That will be all." Crookedstar hopped down from the stone, and the Clan broke up to resume their business.

Silverpaw padded up to Firepaw and smirked. "Nice going, kittypet," he sneered. "You might as well just become a medicine cat yourself."

Firepaw growled and resisted the urge to unsheathe his claws. Before he could reply, Silverpaw continued on to the fresh-kill pile, tail swishing behind him.

"Maybe it won't be so bad," Beechpaw meowed sympathetically. "It's just like looking after the elders, really."

_Except this one has the attitude of Blackclaw and smells like rubbish,_ Firepaw thought miserably. '_Nice going' is right._


	11. Chapter 9

"I want a squirrel." Yellowfang pushed the trout at her paws away from her, looking repulsed.

"For the last time, we don't _have_ any," Firepaw grumbled. "If you wanted squirrels, you should've been nicer to that ThunderClan patrol."

Firepaw had been tending to Yellowfang for a few days now, but as he quickly learned, this mainly consisted of him bantering with her over the fresh-kill and getting smug looks from cats like Beetleclaw and Silverpaw.

"Bah," Yellowfang scoffed. "If you weren't such a lousy hunter you'd find me one yourself."

Firepaw lashed his tail. "There's only fish on the pile and I can't go out unless someone tells me to."

Yellowfang leaned closer to the apprentice. "I'm telling you to," she meowed. "Doesn't that count? After all, Crookedstar said I should be hunted for like any elder or queen. Apprentices hunt for elders and queens, do they not?"

Firepaw twitched his whiskers, irritation melting away. "Hmm." _I guess that could work._ "I don't know where I'd find a squirrel, though. They're mostly over in ThunderClan, and not even your orders would make Leopardfur alright with that."

Yellowfang narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. "Who's got Sunningrocks these days?" she asked. "I never can seem to pay attention to the politics between your Clans."

"We do," Firepaw meowed. "Ever since I joined RiverClan. With the way everyone acts, though, they seem to think we'll be bound to lose it any day."

The old molly coughed out a laugh. "You need to learn about the enemies of your Clan if you'll ever be a warrior, little kitty. Your Clans are fighting so often that it makes ShadowClan's problems look like kits' troubles."

Firepaw pricked his ears curiously. "What's wrong with ShadowClan?" he asked. They were the Clan he had learned the least about thus far, but he did know that no one seemed to trust them much.

Yellowfang's expression suddenly twisted, and she turned away to appear busy with grooming her tail. "None of your business, kitty. Are you going to find that squirrel or not?"

Firepaw frowned. He didn't like taking orders from the old molly, who seemed to thoroughly enjoy doling them out, but on the other hand, it would be a welcome excuse to get out of camp. As Crookedstar promised, he was still training, but caring for Yellowfang took up most of his time.

"Fine," he finally said. "I'll go." _I might as well take the chance to do something._ Firepaw stood up, shook his pelt out, and trotted off towards the line of reeds. Thankfully, no one stopped him on his way out to question his departure, so he padded quickly through the reeds to the river.

Firepaw gulped as he padded in. He had been practicing swimming, and though he was certainly capable of it, it still made him uneasy. His pelt was far from as glossy as his Clanmates', so it didn't shed water as easily, and as a result, he was often wet for a long time after swimming. But he knew he could at least improve his technique with time and practice, and that it was important to do so, so the young tom opted for swimming across rather than going across the stepping stones.

He swam across as quickly as he could. The current wasn't too strong, and the water was almost comfortably warm. Still, Firepaw was glad to feel the riverbed beneath his paws and pad out onto the rocky shore.

Firepaw took a quick glance around. _I haven't actually been to Sunningrocks since that first day… it's pretty quiet here._ The forest stood just a tree's fall away, and he could smell the ThunderClan scent line from where he stood on the shore.

Firepaw parted his jaws to taste the air. _Maybe a squirrel will have strayed across the border…_

He couldn't smell a squirrel, but he could catch a few scents of smaller rodents that were sure to be hidden around the stones. Firepaw dropped into a crouch, determined to find some kind of prey to bring back to camp.

He paused as he heard a rustling from the ferns across the border. The tom lifted his head and pricked his ears. Firepaw felt a sudden jolt of fear—could it be an enemy patrol? An image of Thistlestar looming over him flashed through his mind. _Oh, please don't let it be him or any of those other awful cats…_

A long, slender leg stepped out from the bushes, and ever so slowly, a tall animal walked out of the woods. Firepaw had never seen anything like it before—it was at least the height of three cats, and had what seemed to be tree branches sprouting from its head. The animal paused as it fully left the woods, and turned its head to gaze at Firepaw.

The apprentice was frozen with awe. He wasn't sure what it was about the animal, but it brought a sense of peace over him. Somehow, he knew it wouldn't attack him. The animal snorted softly before it turned its attention to the river. It slowly walked forward, until it reached the river's edge, and bent down to take a drink. When it finished, it turned back the way it came and walked back into the woods again.

Firepaw watched it disappear. He could have been standing there for moons watching it slowly move, but perhaps it had only been a few moments. He twitched his whiskers curiously. _What could that have been?_

Suddenly, an excited yowl erupted from the woods. "Great StarClan, can you believe it?"

"Shush!" another voice came. "It might still be here!"

_That first cat sounds familiar…_ Firepaw frowned, before he called out, "Who's there?"

Two young cats padded through the ferns after a moment. One was a fuzzy gray tom, and his companion was a scrawny black tom. Firepaw blinked as he recognized the first. "Graypaw?"

Graypaw stared at him blankly before a look of recognition dawned over him. "Well, well, well, if it isn't that kittypet!" he meowed. "What are you still doing in the territories? How've you survived so long?"

Firepaw padded a little closer to the tree line. "RiverClan took me in," he said. "I'm an apprentice like you. They named me Firepaw."

"Firepaw, huh?" Graypaw asked. "That's a good name. This is Ravenpaw."

Ravenpaw dipped his head quietly. "Er… hi."

"Did you see that?" Firepaw asked. "The animal that walked by."

"That's a deer! That one must have been a stag, judging by the antlers." Graypaw's tail whipped sharply in excitement. "I hadn't seen one before this! Wasn't it amazing?"

"A deer?" Firepaw echoed. _That's what it's called?_ "What's 'stag' mean?"

"Like a tom, but for deer," Ravenpaw meowed. His voice was much softer than Graypaw's. "Deer are very sacred. I can't believe we've just seen one."

"Sandpaw and Dustpaw are going to be _so_ jealous," Graypaw meowed with a grin. "Oh, and I can't wait to tell Lionheart! He's always telling me about deer."

"Why are they sacred?" Firepaw asked, curiously. At Ravenpaw's bewildered look, he added, "I'm sorry—I'm still learning about all this Clan stuff."

Ravenpaw gave Graypaw an uncomfortable look. "Tigerclaw always says we shouldn't be fraternizing with other Clans… we shouldn't even be this close to the border."

"Oh, come on!" Graypaw purred. "Lionheart told me there's no shame in sharing our Clan's traditions. He says that maybe someday other Clans will revere the deer like we do."

"I guess…" Ravenpaw mumbled. "But remember what happened _last_ time we swapped stories, with those ShadowClan apprentices? Tigerclaw nearly ripped out my whiskers for sharing Clan secrets!"

"History isn't a secret, and it shouldn't be!" Graypaw protested. "Tigerclaw just likes to throw his authority around and make sure we aren't goofing off. But we're all on the right side of the border and just saw a _real live_ deer, for StarClan's sake. Anyway…" he glanced back towards Firepaw. "You wanna hear the story about deer?"

Firepaw nodded. He didn't think he was going to find a squirrel on Sunningrocks with three cats hanging about like this, so he might as well listen. "Yeah. I'm still trying to learn about… you know, Clan history and whatnot."

"Well, truth be told, the deer are more a part of ThunderClan history and culture," Graypaw explained. "ShadowClan couldn't give a rat's tail about them! _They'd_ tell you the real 'sacred' animals are ravens. Ridiculous!" He looked at Ravenpaw. "No offense."

Ravenpaw shrugged. "No, I agree. They're just birds."

Graypaw sat down and curled his thick tail around his paws. "So, in the old days, back when the Clans had just started establishing themselves, ThunderClan was struggling to defend our territory. There were foxes and badgers, not to mention the humans bringing their dogs into the woods, and there were the other Clans around them. They had plenty of prey, though, and it made other Clans jealous - especially ShadowClan! They've always had the worst land for hunting, and they weren't above thievery, and RiverClan stole from time to time when the fishing was bad. They'd argue with ThunderClan cats over where the real border should be and cross it anyway the next day. ThunderClan cats were getting into pointless fights, and prey was being stolen right from under their noses. Plus, RiverClan and ShadowClan have always had stronger scents than we do, and they would scare off the prey with their scents."

Ravenpaw picked up as Graypaw paused. "Thunder, the first leader of our Clan, knew he needed to figure out something to do. Other Clans'll tell you that the road has always been an obvious border, but it wasn't there when the Clans first started. It was easy for RiverClan to have a border, as they were surrounded by the river and the gorge, and WindClan had gotten used to defending what they claimed were their borders, so the other Clans didn't bother with them. We didn't have a natural border like RiverClan, and we hadn't formed our Clan through fighting over borders. We needed to show off our strength and intimidate our foes as well as defend our borders."

"Thunder went off into the woods alone often to think. One day, as he was drinking from the stream that runs through our territory, he saw a small group of tall, beautiful animals. The stags had great antlers growing from their heads, and the does watched him with gentle, intelligent eyes." Ravenpaw flicked his tail. "Like we said, the deer that came through here was a stag. It was strange to see him alone… they're usually in a group." He shook his head, as if reminding himself to stick to the story. "Thunder bowed to the animals as they approached the stream. He was a newcomer to the woods, and he knew that these creatures were wiser than he. The lead stag seemed to appreciate the respectful gesture, and he acknowledged him with a bow of his own head."

'"Sire," Thunder began. "You must know everything about this forest and how to survive here. Please, help my Clan, and advise us.'"

"'What troubles you?" the stag asked. "There are many small animals here for rodent-hunters. You cannot be starving. I see your kind hunting and catching every day.'"

"'We have enemies," Thunder told him. "They wish to harm our kin and steal prey from these woods, even though they do not live here. We wish to protect the forest from them and keep them away… but we don't know what to do."

"The stag thought for a while. Slowly, he walked towards a nearby oak, and with a sudden sweep of his antlers, he struck the bark. Again and again he slashed the ends of his antlers against the tree, until bark began to crack and peel from the tree. When he had finished, he stepped back, to reveal the slashed bark. The stag looked back to Thunder. "Mark the land as we do," he told him. "You have no antlers… but I have seen the work of your claws. Scratch every tree for your enemies to see to show that you own the trees.'"

"Thunder was appalled - how could he not have thought of that himself? The marks were a clear sign of ownership, and if cats were too confused about their meaning… he would show them his claws and back up the marks with their blood. He thanked the stag for his wisdom and told him that they would be forever grateful if the plan worked. The stag nodded once, but called to him once more before Thunder could leave. "I do not advise you lightly," he told him. "I have seen and heard of how your kind to the north treat my kind… they hunt our young in large groups and kill them. Knowing that I have helped you, you may not eat our fawns, or I will be sure to send your kin from these woods." The stag shook his head, demonstrating another powerful sweep of his antlers. Thunder was honorable, and he had no intention of betraying them. He agreed easily the bargain and went home to his Clan to tell them of the stag's advice."

"So ThunderClan started to mark the trees with their claws. It was a show of strength, and as Thunder decided, they backed it up with fighting and boasting. When real borders and scent markers were implemented into the Clans, it only strengthened the territory, but we had scared off most of our rivals by then. Even foxes are wary in our woods now—nearly every tree is scored with countless claw-marks, and strong marks mean a cat with sharp claws."

Graypaw kneaded his paws. "ThunderClan cats have the longest claws of any Clan," he meowed, proudly. "They're terribly sharp, too."

Firepaw frowned as he thought of Thistlestar again. _I've felt them._

"I wanted to tell the story," Graypaw said. "But Ravenpaw's so good at storytelling."

Ravenpaw gave his chest an embarrassed lick. "Sorry, Graypaw." He glanced back at the woods. "We should get going. Our mentors will be wondering what's taking us so long."

Graypaw nodded. "Yeah, you're right. Plus, we have to tell everyone about the deer. I mean, I still can't believe we really saw one!" He stood and shook his pelt out. "It was good to see you again, Firepaw. I'm sorry about how all that turned out when Thistlestar found you… I've felt bad since. I'm glad you're alright."

Firepaw smiled. "You too, Graypaw. Thanks for the story."

The two apprentices turned, and with parting flicks of their tails, disappeared back into the undergrowth.

Firepaw watched them go before he turned back towards the river. _I might as well try to hunt a little longer._


	12. Chapter 10

Firepaw swiped at the water, claws unsheathed, and hooked a small fish from the river. Satisfaction rushed through him as he pinned it to the ground and bit it.

The days seemed to go by quickly in RiverClan. Over a moon had passed since he'd joined, and though he had a bumpy start, Firepaw was getting the hang of hunting. He was far from as good as Shadepaw, but Dawnwhisker had been telling him that he'd improved immensely.

"Nice catch!" Beechpaw meowed. The tom was sitting near the water a few fox-lengths away, and beyond him was Minkpaw.

"Fishing is getting easier than I thought it would be," Firepaw purred.

"It's summer, so the river is full of fish," Minkpaw said. "Voleclaw says that it's the best time to learn."

Beechpaw nodded. "Say, Minkpaw, do you know when the next Gathering is going to be? I know it's soon."

Firepaw pricked his ears in curiosity. He had missed the last Gathering—it had happened only a few days after he joined RiverClan, but it sounded like most of the younger cats enjoyed it.

Minkpaw flicked her tail. "A few days… I think Mudfur said the moon will be full in three."

"Do you think Crookedstar will let me go?" Firepaw asked.

Beechpaw shrugged. "Maybe… new apprentices usually always go to one close to when they're apprenticed. _But_, you _are_ still in trouble for the whole Yellowfang thing, so… could go either way."

"Don't remind me," Firepaw groaned.

"It can't be that bad," Minkpaw said. "I had to take care of the elders for a straight quarter moon after I shoved Silverpaw in the river. Still worth it."

"Snowfang has nothing on Yellowfang," Firepaw retorted. "At least he just ignores me. _She_ complains about the fresh-kill I bring her, her bedding, her aching bones, any cat that comes a pawstep too close…" his voice trailed off with a sigh.

"She doesn't seem to mind you, though," Beechpaw pointed out. "She might complain about everything you bring, but she doesn't make much remarks about _you_. Just the other day she said Silverpaw was too short-legged to ever be a good warrior and then said I looked fatter than a human's dog!"

Firepaw thought on this for a moment. "She said I was a lousy hunter the other day."

Minkpaw rolled her eyes. "I heard her grumbling about being lonely after you left. She's just a grouchy old molly with no friends."

Firepaw twitched his tail. A small minnow darted within range of his paw, but in a flash, it disappeared again. "Do either of you know anything about her?" he asked. "I mean, I'm still learning, but I know medicine cats are important and don't know how to fight. Seems weird that she'd be on her own."

Beechpaw shrugged. "Eh, I don't pay much attention to ShadowClan. ThunderClan and WindClan have more problems with them than we do."

Minkpaw shook her head and snorted. "Honestly, Beechpaw, you're as daft as Firepaw sometimes." She cast the ginger tom an almost apologetic look. "Sorry," she added. "But you don't know hardly anything about our life yet. Anyhow, Yellowfang is the oldest of the living medicine cats, I think. Barkface of WindClan could be a little older, but… who knows. I've never really spoken to Yellowfang, but she's supposed to be skilled. I heard ShadowClan has a new leader… maybe he didn't like what she was telling him."

Firepaw blinked. "They'd throw out their only medicine cat over not liking her?"

"Not necessarily," Minkpaw said, eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "But maybe _StarClan _didn't exactly approve of the new leader's position. Something like that."

Beechpaw yawned and flopped down on his side. "You're so dramatic, Minkpaw," he said. "I'd run away from ShadowClan too. I heard they eat human garbage over there."

"Well, _I_ heard that they hunt with ravens," Minkpaw shot back.

"Yeah?" Beechpaw meowed. "And who told you that? Snowpaw, the biggest ShadowClan gossip?"

Minkpaw just groaned and turned her attention back to the water. "At least I pay attention, Beechpaw!"

Firepaw looked down at the water's surface again. He held still as they fell back into silence. He would be ready for the next fish that came.

* * *

That night, old Snowfang was alive and grumbling about wanting a plumper trout. The next morning, he was not.

News of the elder's passing spread quickly throughout RiverClan, and Firepaw hadn't even left his nest before it was passed on to him.

It was Mosspaw who came into the apprentices' den bearing the news. Firepaw had just awoken, and was giving himself a quick wash. Beechpaw and Shadepaw were in the den, too—Shadepaw was cleaning herself as well, while Beechpaw was dozing with one eye slitted open.

"Hey," Mosspaw called, softly. "You all awake?"

Beechpaw blinked his eyes opened and yawned. "Am now. Training?"

Mosspaw shook her head. "It's Snowfang," she meowed. "He died in his sleep."

Beechpaw sat up quite suddenly. "Wh-what?"

Shadepaw blinked. "He… seemed fine yesterday…" the molly sighed and closed her eyes.

Mosspaw bowed her head before she turned away. "You should come out. We're getting ready to mourn."

_Dead?_ Firepaw watched blankly as Mosspaw left the den. The only cat he'd ever seen that had been dead was Oakheart, and he had been mangled and broken. The memory sent a chill through him, and he shuddered. Firepaw rose stiffly, grooming forgotten.

Beechpaw looked especially upset. His tail flicked about anxiously, and he wore a deep frown. Firepaw cast him a glance. "Are you alright?" he asked.

"He was my grandfather," Beechpaw murmured. "He might have been an old grump, but… he's kin."

"I'm sorry," Firepaw replied. _Poor Beechpaw. _He hardly remembered much of his own family, but he recalled what Dawnwhisker had said about family being important to the Clans.

Beechpaw shrugged sadly. "It happens. We all lose kin. I mean, both of my parents have already died, too."

Shadepaw nodded. "So have mine. I think the only apprentices with their parents still living are Grasspaw and Minkpaw."

_Beechpaw, Shadepaw, Mosspaw, Silverpaw… they're all orphans._ Firepaw wasn't sure what to think. _I wonder if it's what makes Silverpaw so bitter._

"We should go," Shadepaw meowed. She rose from her nest and padded towards the mouth of the den. Firepaw followed. Together they left the den.

The moon among the Clan was somber. Firepaw saw his Clanmates gathered around in the center of camp, presumably around Snowfang's body. He hesitated by the den before he padded forward to join them.

Firepaw caught a glimpse of Snowfang's body as he came closer. The old tom was lying on his side, eyes closed. He looked like he was asleep. Firepaw couldn't smell his death-scent, for Mudfur had spread mint and lavender around him and across his body.

Firepaw wasn't sure how to feel. The sight of Snowfang's dead body was unsettling, but he wasn't sure that he was _sad_. There was nothing to be glad about, certainly, but he hadn't known the tom aside from the occasional grumble in Firepaw's direction. And yet, there was an odd feeling of loss—Snowfang's presence in the Clan was a certainty, or at least, it had been. Even if the old tom had been unfriendly, Firepaw was used to seeing him curled up in his nest when he went to care for the elders.

Firepaw drifted away from his body. It didn't feel right to be one of the cats closer to it. He found himself moving towards Yellowfang. The old molly was sprawled on her side in her usual spot, watching the whole affair with an unreadable expression.

"Morning," grunted the ShadowClan molly. "Too bad about Snowfang."

"Yeah," Firepaw agreed. He sat down beside her to look on. It was times like this that he was reminded that he was an outsider among his Clanmates. Perhaps it would be different if Beechpaw or Dawnwhisker had died, but he simply couldn't feel the same grief of the other RiverClan cats.

"Not going to say your farewell?" Yellowfang asked. The ragged molly sounded half-curious, and looked at him from the corners of her eyes.

Firepaw shook his head. "I didn't know Snowfang well enough. He tried to pretend I didn't exist, for the most part."

Yellowfang flipped her tail. "This is your first death?" she asked.

"No," Firepaw replied, with another shake of his head. "The night Oakheart died was the night I came here. He saved my life."

Yellowfang hummed thoughtfully. "Oakheart's death was a shame," she meowed. "Seemed like a reasonable tom. Can't say the same about the leadership in ShadowClan."

It was Firepaw's turn to eye her curiously. Yellowfang still had never been straightforward about ShadowClan's matters, only hinting here and there about her thoughts. _I wonder if she's torn between loyalty and whatever caused her to leave._

"Snowfang was a tough brute," Yellowfang went on, before she paused to lick her paw and draw it over an ear. "We only had a battle with RiverClan once that I can recall, back before I became a medicine cat. I got into a scrap with him and he roughed me up pretty bad. 'Course, I didn't let him go without a few scratches of my own…"

Firepaw blinked as the RiverClan cats began to move away from Snowfang's body. They began to form small groups and converse among themselves. Quietly, Graypool and Beechpaw began to move Snowfang's body towards the camp entrance. No one paid them any mind.

Though the mood hadn't improved by much, Firepaw easily could have imagined that no cat had died, and that nothing had disturbed the usual business of RiverClan.


	13. Chapter 11

Firepaw leaned in and bit off a chunk of fatty flesh from his trout. Beechpaw, Grasspaw, and Minkpaw all sat around, eating their own piece of fresh-kill, while Shadepaw was telling them about a battle she'd been in.

"So we all slid out of the river, silent as eels," she was saying. "Oakheart was leading the patrol, with Blackclaw, Sunwhisker, and Silverstream behind him, then Mosspaw and I. There was an unsuspecting ThunderClan patrol on Sunningrocks—which was ours then, mind you, and they just so happened to be boasting about how RiverClan cats were too dumb and lazy to ever catch them." She scored her claws on the soft earth. "Made it all the more satisfying when we leaped upon them and heard their screeches!"

Beechpaw chuckled quietly and tucked his tail around his paws. "Ooh, this is a good one!"

Minkpaw jabbed him. "Hush!" she turned back towards Shadepaw, eyes gleaming. "And then?"

Shadepaw grinned. "It was my first battle, but I was hardly scared. I had Mosspaw by my side and I knew no one could beat us!" She lifted her chin. "There was that one tom… Adderpaw, back then, and he was the biggest apprentice I'd ever seen!" she lashed her tail wildly. "I let out a hiss and jumped right on his back before he could do a thing. He shrieked and bucked around, but he couldn't throw me off! I tore out quite a few clumps of his fur before I finally jumped off. He was so startled that he took off running right away!"

Firepaw diverted his gaze as he noticed Leopardfur padding slowly towards him. As always, her expression was unreadable, and he swallowed nervously. _She's so unnerving,_ he thought. _What's she thinking?_

Shadepaw carried on, back to the deputy. "And then, I turned to see Mosspaw backed up against a rock by that one warrior Darkstripe. So I went charging after them, and…" Her voice trailed off as she noticed the deputy.

Leopardfur was now right next to Shadepaw. All the apprentices fell silent as her gaze flitted over them. Finally, after a moment of uncomfortable silence, she spoke. "The Gathering is tonight," she meowed. "Beechpaw, Minkpaw, Shadepaw, and Firepaw will all be going." She flicked her tail and started to turn away. "Be ready by sundown."

Firepaw pricked his ears. _Me? Really?_

Grasspaw groaned as the deputy padded off. "Fox-dung, I didn't get to go last time either!"

Beechpaw grinned. "You'll go next time," he purred. "But this'll be Firepaw's first Gathering!" He shouldered the ginger tom. "Oh, I bet all the best warriors in the Clans will be there!"

"Like who?" Firepaw asked. He twitched his tail as his excitement built up. _They must not be as mad at me for Yellowfang as I thought!_

"Tigerclaw will certainly be there, seeing as he's Thistlestar's deputy…" Shadepaw paused, looking thoughtful. "Then there's Stonefur, Clawface, Flintfang, Mudclaw… they're all pretty tough warriors."

Firepaw nearly shuddered at the mention of Thistlestar. _Oh… I completely forgot that _he _would be there…_ he frowned anxiously. An image of the massive tom looming over him flashed through his mind. _What if he tries to attack me again?_

"What's wrong?" Minkpaw asked. "You look sick."

Firepaw swallowed. "Well, Thistlestar will be there, given that it's a Gathering and all… he would've killed me, I think, if I hadn't managed to get away from him."

"Oh," Beechpaw looked sympathetic. "I forgot about all of that… but it'll be fine, I swear."

"Thistlestar would never do something as stupid as try to kill a RiverClan apprentice at a Gathering," Shadepaw agreed. "Even if he _did_ still have a grudge, the warrior code states that the Gathering is a time of a truce. He's rash, but not a complete minnow-brain."

Minkpaw nodded. "Plus, there's all of us. _Any _cat that attacks someone at a Gathering is asking for a beating from their Clanmates."

Firepaw flattened his ears, both a bit embarrassed and quite pleased. _At least some cats think of me as a Clanmate._ "Thanks," he purred.

Beechpaw nodded. "The Gathering will be great. You'll see!"

"Firepaw!"

The ginger tom winced at the sudden yowl. Yellowfang was glaring at him from her nest. "I say, do RiverClan apprentices do nothing but eat? You haven't brought me any fresh-kill and I've got ticks buried deep as moles in my pelt!"

Minkpaw snickered. "You'd better go before _she_ attacks you."

Firepaw sighed and pushed his half-eaten meal away from him. "Someone else can finish this off, then."

Beechpaw swiped his tongue across his lips as Firepaw rose, and the stocky tom pulled it towards him. "Don't mind if I do."

Firepaw left his denmates and headed towards Yellowfang. The ragged molly was still scowling. _Just remember that after this you can go to the Gathering, _Firepaw told himself.

"You're hungry?" he asked, as he stopped in front of her.

Yellowfang scoffed loudly. "Hungry, itchy, and laying in a nest of dried-out reedstalks."

Firepaw held in his urge to sigh. "Well, I can get you some fresh-kill and deal with the ticks, but I might not have time for the nest until tomorrow. I'm going to the Gathering."

"Hmph." Yellowfang sniffed. "I know. I'm not deaf. Get on with it, then."

Firepaw turned his back to her and padded quickly to the fresh-kill pile. _She's especially grouchy today._ He took care to find something that wasn't old, for he knew she would just snap at him and demand something else. Yellowfang had become more tolerable, but when she got in these moods, it was easy to set her off and near impossible to please her. He settled on a frog, which she seemed to like, and hurried on back to her.

She didn't thank him, but Yellowfang had no bitter remark, and that was thanks enough for Firepaw. He settled down beside her and began to examine her pelt for tangles and ticks—which was a true feat, given the length of her unkempt fur. He had found the task uncomfortable at first, but by now, he didn't hesitate to rasp his tongue over a particularly tangled patch. Firepaw tried to pull it apart without too much force, which meant taking far more time than he liked.

Yellowfang, for once, was coldly quiet as she ate her frog, and hardly did much more than twitch an ear when Firepaw tugged too hard on a burr in her fur.

_I wonder if I've offended her somehow?_ he thought, biting down on a blood-gorged tick. _Should I ask? She's so impossible to read. Almost like Leopardfur, except with more outbursts!_

Firepaw chanced it when he had to pause his grooming to find another rough patch in her pelt. "Yellowfang?" he asked.

Yellowfang didn't glance at him, but she did pause in her eating. "Hmm?"

"Er…" Firepaw hesitated. _Let's just hope she doesn't claw my nose off. _"I was just… wondering if something was irritating you. You seem, uh… upset today."

Yellowfang stiffened, and Firepaw gulped. _Oh, great, I've gone and done it again,_ he thought. But the molly only flattened her ears. "Just feeling bitter, lad." She took another bite of the frog, and chewed it very slowly.

Firepaw was quiet for a moment, before he asked, "About what?"

Yellowfang looked over her shoulder at him. For once, the molly didn't look angry. Just tired. She took a breath and sighed. "Doesn't matter," she said, with a shrug of her shoulders. Yellowfang went silent, again, but didn't turn away.

Firepaw waited.

Finally, Yellowfang closed her eyes, turned away, and laid her head on her paws. "I suppose that at the Gathering, ShadowClan's leader will have a slew of things to say about me. RiverClan can believe his message or not."

_What's _that _supposed to mean? _Firepaw thought. _Is she worried that whatever he has to say will make Crookedstar throw her out?_ He felt unsettled by the idea. _What could be so bad that he would banish her?_

He decided to try to press her for more. "What's he got to say that you're so worried about?"

"I'm not worried," grunted Yellowfang. "I'm resigned. My fate is in the paws of StarClan. I trust in my ancestors to keep me safe until I join them. If that means I must go on my own, so be it." She sighed. "Though I would rather my fate be with some Clan, even if not my Clan of birth. ShadowClan isn't what it was back when I was your age."

Firepaw felt that was as much as she reveal about that matter. "What was it like?" he asked. "When you were an apprentice?" He leaned in and began to groom another section of her coat.

Yellowfang sighed fondly. "ShadowClan was strong, that's what it was. We didn't have to scavenge for human scraps. A noble Clan, that's what we were." She huffed suddenly and flicked her tail. "I'm not an elder yet, kitty," she meowed. "I'm not here to reward you with stories."

Firepaw paused in his grooming for a moment. _That's all she'll say today, I suppose._ "Alright, Yellowfang."

Yellowfang didn't speak again, and only grunted her thanks as Firepaw finished his work and left her.

* * *

Nightfall came, and the patrol to the Gathering left. The other apprentices seemed excited—Firepaw was, too, for Silverpaw hadn't been invited along, and he surely would've ruined the night.

The journey to Fourtrees passed quickly. It was only across the bridge and then a short jaunt up the well-trodden path that led to the gathering place.

Dawnwhisker had been nearby throughout the walk, but now she drew close. "Can you smell the other Clans?" she asked.

Firepaw tasted the air. It was hard to pick out other scents when he was surrounded by his Clanmates, but he did notice the musky smell of ThunderClan. "Just ThunderClan," he said.

"That's fine," Dawnwhisker meowed, giving a quick nod. "We don't come in contact with the other Clans as much. It'll do you good to try and learn their scents while we're here, though."

"Alright," Firepaw said. "Anything else?"

"Actually, yes," Dawnwhisker replied. "You may be friendly with all other Clans—in fact, you're encouraged to be. RiverClan is usually on good terms with WindClan and ShadowClan, at least, though more so WindClan. I'll let you stay with your friends tonight, but perhaps in the next Gathering I'll introduce you to a few cats." She twitched her tail. "But what you must remember is that you can't give away RiverClan secrets. We are to be civil, but that doesn't mean oversharing."

_I'm not sure I even know anything that counts as a secret,_ Firepaw thought. He nodded anyway. "Yes, Dawnwhisker."

The molly smiled at him. "Good. I'm sure you'll have fun. Just be careful around ThunderClan. We haven't had a scrap with them recently, but I don't doubt that they're itching for it. They'll be wanting Sunningrocks back."

Firepaw nodded again. His mentor picked up her pace to join Sunwhisker and Frogleap up ahead.

Crookedstar soon stopped them. Before the group was a slope that led down into a wide clearing. Four great oaks stood around the edge of the clearing—the largest that Firepaw had ever seen. He could make out the shapes of many cats below.

Crookedstar lifted his tail. "Go on, RiverClan."

Firepaw followed the other apprentices down the slope, as the warriors hurried on down ahead of them.

"Keep up, Firepaw!" Beechpaw called over his shoulder, tail whipping about in excitement.

"I'm right here!" Firepaw replied. He sped up a bit to catch up to his friend.

The clearing was filled with more cats than Firepaw had ever seen. Many were in small groups, talking amongst themselves. To the far side of the clearing was a huge boulder, where he could see two cats sitting. "Who are they?" he asked, nodding towards the stone.

"Those are leaders," Beechpaw answered. "Let's get a closer look. It's hard to tell who's there from here."

"I'm going to go see how the ShadowClan apprentices are doing," Shadepaw said. She glanced at Minkpaw. "Wanna come?"

Minkpaw nodded, and the two mollies quickly left Beechpaw and Firepaw behind.

Beechpaw led the way through the clearing. They had to skirt around many cats, and Firepaw nearly ran into a dozen different didn't stop until he stepped on a tail, and it's bearer turned around to hiss at him.

"Watch where you're going, fish-face!" She was a pale ginger tabby, and she looked furious.

"Sorry!" Firepaw blurted. "I didn't see you."

Beechpaw glanced back and turned around. "Oh, hey, Sandpaw. This is Firepaw."

Sandpaw sniffed. "Tell your denmate to be more careful," she growled.

"Sorry," Firepaw repeated. "It's my first Gathering."

"Come on, Sandpaw," Beechpaw meowed. "Remember the time you walked right into Raggedstar?"

She glared fiercely at him, but after a moment, she shrugged and huffed. "Whatever." Sandpaw glanced back to Firepaw. "Anyway, I don't remember hearing your name called at any Gatherings."

Another voice called out from behind her, "That's because you stayed home last time!"

Firepaw searched for the source of the voice. Graypaw appeared from around another large cat, tailed by Ravenpaw. "Firepaw!" he purred. "It's good to see you."

Firepaw smiled, glad to see a friendly face. "Graypaw!" he meowed. "And Ravenpaw! How are you?"

"I'm great!" Graypaw replied, moving quickly to sit beside Sandpaw. Ravenpaw hung back for a heartbeat before he sat nearby as well. "The prey's been running well lately. I think that stag we saw was a sign of good fortune!"

Sandpaw blinked. "_You_ saw the stag with Graypaw?" she asked.

Firepaw nodded. "It was drinking from the river and I ran into Graypaw and Ravenpaw on the border."

Sandpaw's eyes widened, and her stance seemed to relax, as though her hostility was eased. "I've never seen one," she said. "My father said they're incredible."

"It was," Firepaw purred. "I'd never seen anything like it."

Beechpaw twitched his whiskers. "You didn't tell me you saw a deer," he said. "They're pretty cool-looking."

"Even _he's _seen a deer!" Sandpaw groaned. "For StarClan's sake, I just want a _glimpse_—"

A low, rough voice spoke, and all the apprentices jumped. "Not giving away ThunderClan secrets, eh, Sandpaw?"

Firepaw glanced towards the tom who had approached them. He was a massive tabby, with a thick pelt and a battle-scarred muzzle. The tom slid his gaze towards him, and stared curiously. His gaze was like Leopardfur's—cold. Almost calculating.

"N-no, Tigerclaw," Sandpaw stammered. She seemed to deflate with his appearance. "Just talking to the new RiverClan apprentice."

"New RiverClan apprentice, eh?" Tigerclaw continued to eye Firepaw.

Firepaw tried not to wilt. He could tell this cat was someone of a high position, but even if he weren't, his very presence seemed to demand respect. "Yes," he replied. "I'm Firepaw."

"Firepaw," Tigerclaw repeated, slowly. "Hmm. Haven't seen any cats in RiverClan with that brilliant of a ginger coat."

_Does he know I'm a kittypet?_ Firepaw thought, gulping. _I don't recognize him, but I guess I wasn't paying attention to all the cats that were at Sunningrocks that day…_

Tigerclaw finally twitched his whiskers. "Well. I must take my place by the stone. Wouldn't want to make the Gathering run late with introductions and all that." He padded around them and disappeared into the crowd.

Everyone let out a breath.

"Who was that?" Firepaw asked, suppressing the urge to shudder.

"That's our deputy," Sandpaw replied. "Tigerclaw."

Graypaw flattened his ears. "Scary, isn't he? I mean, he's a great deputy, but… phew, when he gives me a bad look… I'd rather be told off by a hungry badger!"

Ravenpaw's eyes were wide. "Try having him as a mentor! I'm so nervous that half the time I can't even hunt properly because I'm worried about what he'll think!"

Sandpaw snorted. "You're nervous anyway!"

Firepaw turned back towards the large stone. It was easier now to make out the faces of the leaders. Crookedstar had just leaped up to take his place, leaving one leader left to join. He saw Thistlestar sitting on one end, holding his chin high, and felt cold. Another tom was in a crouch, placed between Thistlestar and Crookedstar. He was a dark brown, with a ragged pelt and a broad, flat face. His eyes were narrowed to slits as he surveyed the cats below.

"Who's _that_?" Firepaw asked. "The one in between Crookedstar and Thistlestar."

"That's Brokenstar, leader of ShadowClan," Sandpaw replied. "Isn't he creepy?"

"_Broken_star?" Firepaw asked. "What kind of name is that?" The name sounded familiar, but it was strange to place such a name with a face.

"You can't see it from here, but his tail is crooked," Ravenpaw answered. "His warrior name was Brokentail."

_Huh._ Firepaw watched as Brokenstar let out a yawn and arched his back in a stretch. _He is pretty creepy-looking. _"So is Raggedstar the WindClan leader?"

"No, that would be Ferretstar," Beechpaw said. "Raggedstar was the last ShadowClan leader. Brokenstar succeeded him three moons ago."

"Think it was a dog that got him," Graypaw said, shuddering. "What a way to go!"

"Brokenstar is his son," Sandpaw meowed. "Some cats think that's the only reason he was made deputy. He's not the… diplomatic type."

Firepaw twitched his tail. "So where's Ferretstar?"

"Late, I guess," said Graypaw. "Wonder what's keeping WindClan."

Thistlestar suddenly let out a great yowl, and voices began to die down around them. He waited for silence, then began to speak. "Welcome to the Gathering," he said. "I suppose I will speak first—"

Crookedstar looked sharply at him. "Where are the WindClan representatives?" he demanded. "We cannot start without them."

Brokenstar simply twitched his ears. "They are clearly late," he said, voice cold. "If they cannot take it upon themselves to show up, we shouldn't have to wait for them."

Thistlestar frowned. "How long would you have us wait?" he asked. "I'm sure our Clanmates would be glad to not sit about all night. If something is holding them up, it's possible they can't come."

"Wait!" a warrior shouted. "I see them!"

Firepaw craned his neck to try and spot the oncoming Clan. They appeared on the slope behind the boulder, and silently, the warriors padded down and sat. They seemed to stay together in one group, rather than diverge like the other Clans.

A cat climbed up onto the stone. The black-and-white leader was tall, with a long tail. But as Firepaw fixed his gaze upon him, he realized something was wrong with him. Fresh wounds riddled his pelt, and he was panting with the effort of climbing onto the stone.

"Ferretstar doesn't look so good," Beechpaw muttered. "Wonder what's wrong with him?"

Crookedstar's eyes widened. "Great StarClan, was WindClan attacked on your way here?"

Ferretstar glared fiercely at Brokenstar. "No!" he spat. "ShadowClan attacked us this morning, in our own camp!"

Cats around Firepaw let out shocked gasps. Brokenstar simply stared back evenly. "It was a private dispute," he said, smoothly. "It hardly concerns the other Clans."

Crookedstar narrowed his eyes. "You attacked a Clan on the day of the Gathering," he growled. "One could only wonder why."

"Brokenstar is trying to silence WindClan!" Ferretstar snarled. "They have been trespassing on our land and stealing prey. An apprentice was killed! Brokenstar does not want the other Clans to know what he has done to WindClan."

Brokenstar only looked amused at the outburst. "There is no truce in daylight hours," he said. "The _day _of the Gathering is no different than any other. And it is hardly my fault if WindClan is too weak to defend their territory."

"Weak!" spat Ferretstar. "A Clan hardly has a chance to gain strength when you steal our resources and kill our young!"

Brokenstar shrugged. "I already have told you what would stop the fighting. As I said, this is a private dispute between WindClan and ShadowClan. We do not need to take up the Gathering with your complaints. I have news I would like to share, as I am sure the other leaders do."

Thistlestar, who had been impassively watching, flicked his tail. "I'm curious as to what would solve your disagreement."

"_Disagreement_!" Ferretstar curled his lip. "Brokenstar demanded we give up our hunting grounds and allow them to hunt freely on WindClan. He would gladly watch my Clan starve!"

"You know nothing of starvation," Brokenstar growled. "ShadowClan has always been hungry. We are forced to eat humans' _rubbish_! And when we do take what we can get, we're called _sacrilegious_." He glared at Thistlestar for emphasis, who only rolled his eyes.

"What's he mean by that?" Firepaw whispered.

"ShadowClan cats sometimes eat deer," Beechpaw murmured back. "Mostly carcasses, I think, but I've heard rumors that they'll kill fawns themselves."

"It's _wrong_," Sandpaw growled.

_Because deer are sacred to ThunderClan,_ Firepaw recalled.

"So," Brokenstar went on, with a haughty toss of his head, "I am finally doing what is necessary for ShadowClan to thrive. If WindClan would rather have my Clan die of illness and hunger, they should pay for it with their territory." His eyes narrowed. "As I said, I have other news that concerns all Clans, as well as the safety of your kits."

"You would threaten kits?" Ferretstar demanded. "You are a vile excuse for a cat—"

"Not _me_, you daft rabbit-chaser," Brokenstar growled. "I come only to hope that the kits of the other Clans here tonight do not die because you wish to ramble on about our disagreements."

Ferretstar looked as though he were about to reply, but Crookedstar looked sharply at Brokenstar. "Get on with it," he huffed. "Your theatrics are holding us up just as much as Ferretstar telling us what you've done has."

Brokenstar curled his lip. "Fine. One of my cats has spurned the warrior code and gone rogue. We tried to put her down for good, but she fled from us when her crimes were revealed. It was our last medicine cat—though we will not give her the grace of saying her name—and she betrayed us. She is a kit-killer!"

Cats gasped and shrieked in horror. Firepaw stiffened. _He can only be talking about Yellowfang!_ He thought, ears flat. _This was what she was talking about!_

Clearly, others thought the same thing—Beechpaw was staring at him with wide eyes, and he could see Blackclaw and Sunwhisker muttering to one another ahead of them.

_Is he lying?_ Firepaw thought. _Yellowfang knew he would say that about her… is it because she did it? Or because he banished her with lies?_

Brokenstar continued. "I'm sure you all will recognize her if she dares go to your land. She's a hideous, ragged thing, with a bad temper. I would recommend that you kill her if you do see her, to protect your own kits."

The RiverClan cats in the clearing were clearly nervous, even if they wouldn't announce that they had Yellowfang in their camp. Firepaw could see warriors that were kneading their paws or staring hard at Crookedstar, waiting for his move.

_What do I do?_ Firepaw thought, tail twitching anxiously. _I can't believe that she would murder kits! Yellowfang is mean, but she isn't evil!_

Crookedstar betrayed nothing. Slowly, he said, "Perhaps we should return home now. A cat like that would take advantage of a night where warriors are away to strike, if she were planning to."

Thistlestar frowned. "I suppose you're right. If no one is opposed, we will bring this Gathering to an end."

"Is that it?" Ferretstar hissed. "Neither of you takes issue with Brokenstar's threats?"

Crookedstar touched his tail to the tom's shoulder, looking sympathetic. "It is wrong," he said. "But all the Clans are having troubles, and if there truly is a kit-killer running loose, we must deal with that threat."

Ferretstar flinched away. "You are a coward!" he spat. "If WindClan falls to ShadowClan's brutality, I blame _you_." With that, he leaped down from the rock. His cats swarmed protectively around him, and they began to leave.

"The Gathering is over!" Thistlestar yowled.

Crookedstar jumped down. "RiverClan, to me!" he called. "Quickly now. I want to be home as fast as we can."

The other Clans were moving apart from each other. Sandpaw rose and stretched. "See you," she said.

"And let's hope it isn't in battle!" Graypaw meowed, still oddly cheerful. Ravenpaw only dipped his head before they all padded off to join their Clan.

Firepaw followed Beechpaw towards the RiverClan group. He could smell the fear-scent coming from them as he approached. _Everyone knows he was talking about Yellowfang! What are they going to do to her?_

Crookedstar glanced around. "Frogleap, Whiteclaw, I want you two to run ahead back to camp. Be sure everything is right. The rest of us will travel as quickly as we're able."

The two warriors nodded and raced off immediately. Firepaw watched them go. He hardly realized he was trembling. _What if they kill Yellowfang?_ He shuddered. _Oh, Yellowfang, please don't be a murderer!_


	14. Chapter 12

Firepaw followed his Clanmates into camp, pelt bristling nervously. They had travelled home as quickly as they could, but they could only go so fast with an elder.

A shriek ran out, and Firepaw jumped. He forced his way forward through the group, and there he saw Whiteclaw pinning Yellowfang to the ground as she writhed desperately. "Get off me, you fat oaf!" she yowled.

"Murderer!" he snarled. "Did you plan to gut _my _kits, too?"

"Whiteclaw!" Crookedstar snapped. "Get off of her. I sent you to make sure the camp was safe, not flay an old medicine cat!"

"You heard what Brokenstar said!" hissed Frogleap, who was standing nearby. "What if she attacks our kits?"

"You imbeciles!" Yellowfang snarled. "If I wanted to kill your kits, why would I lie about in your camp for half a moon as a prisoner?"

Whiteclaw still held her down. "She's a danger to us!" he spat. "Let us deal with her or at least exile her!"

Crookedstar let out a low growl. "Get off. _Now_."

Whiteclaw stared at him for a long moment, before he flattened his ears and stepped off of the old molly. Yellowfang grunted and tried to sit up.

Firepaw, without thinking, rushed to her side. "Are you alright?" he asked. "Yellowfang, you didn't do what Brokenstar said… right?"

"Get away from her!" Whiteclaw hissed.

"_Silence,_" Crookedstar snapped. "One more word out of you and I'll send you out of camp to cool off. There is no proof of Yellowfang's crimes other than the word of Brokenstar."

"You know how obsessed ShadowClanners are with honesty," Blackclaw growled. "They might be heartless, but they aren't liars."

Yellowfang glanced at Firepaw silently. It was clear she was in pain—Whiteclaw had clearly clawed her up before he pinned her down.

Crookedstar flicked his tail. "Think, Blackclaw. Brokenstar has been attacking WindClan for StarClan-knows how long. He is trying to force them to give up their territory, and obviously did not want them to speak at the Gathering. Does he sound like a leader worthy of automatic trust?"

"That doesn't mean she didn't murder kits," Frogleap growled.

Yellowfang looked up at Crookedstar. "I would never lay a claw on kits," she said. "The kits Brokenstar claims I killed were my nieces. I don't know who did kill them. I only discovered their bodies."

_I knew it couldn't be true!_ Firepaw thought, and nearly sighed in relief.

His Clanmates began to whisper. Crookedstar flicked his tail, looking thoughtful. "I have never heard Yellowfang make threats against kits," he said. "I don't think she has even been near the nursery." He glanced at Firepaw. "You have been her caretaker," he said. "What is your opinion of her?"

"You're leaving it up to the _kittypet_?" Blackclaw demanded.

Firepaw ignored them. Yellowfang looked at him again, a curious look in her eye. _What do I say?_ He swallowed. "Yellowfang can be mean," he said. "She's a grouch. But… I can't believe she would murder kits. She hardly leaves her nest as it is."

Crookedstar nodded. "Thank you, Firepaw." He paused for a few heartbeats. "Yellowfang will remain as she is," he said. "She has posed no threat to us and there is plenty of reason to believe there may be darker motives to Brokenstar's banishment of her. That is all."

"That's it?" Beetleclaw hissed.

Crookedstar glanced at him sharply. "As I said," he replied, voice firm. "Yellowfang has not acted in a way that seems dangerous. My decision is made. If any other cats have issues, they may speak to me privately _tomorrow_. You are all dismissed."

It was hard to tell how the Clan felt. Some went to their dens like it was any other night, others looked sympathetically at Yellowfang, and the rest were bristling with outrage. Whiteclaw, to his credit, obeyed Crookedstar and did not speak again, but he let out a low hiss at Yellowfang and stalked towards the nursery. He sat down outside the den, glaring at her from across the camp.

Firepaw returned his attention to the old molly. "Did he hurt you?" he asked. "Should I get Mudfur?"

Yellowfang chuckled dryly. "Just bruised and missing some fur." She sighed and lowered herself into a crouch. "Thank you for saying what you did," she said, a bit quiet. "Thought they'd throw me out for sure." Yellowfang eyed him. "Though I wasn't sure you'd stick up for me."

Firepaw shuffled his paws. "You are a mean old hag," he said, only half-joking, and the molly grunted, as though amused. "But I don't believe you'd kill kits." He glanced back towards the nursery. "Are you worried about Whiteclaw?"

Yellowfang shrugged. "Don't blame him for being like that, myself. Seen plenty of cats who'd kill to protect their kin." She huffed as she stood back up. "Though I wish he hadn't taken some of my pelt." Yellowfang turned away. "Off with you, lad. I'll go back to my nest now. You do the same."

Firepaw nodded. "Alright."

Yellowfang called to him as he began to pad away. "And don't forget to bring me something to eat in the morning!"

Firepaw snorted. _Still the same old Yellowfang as ever._

* * *

Firepaw woke early the next morning and headed out of the den. There was a light drizzle, but it was still pleasantly warm. Out of habit, he headed right for the fresh-kill pile to find Yellowfang a meal. Mallowtail was sitting beside it, looking quite sullen.

She glanced up as he padded closer. "Don't eat anything, Firepaw," she meowed. "The rain will let rot set in. None of this is any good."

"Frog-dung," Firepaw grumbled. "I was going to get something for Yellowfang."

At the mention of the old molly, Mallowtail cast her a glare. Yellowfang was in her nest as always, and though the rain was hitting her, she hardly seemed bothered enough to move. "I heard what she did," Mallowtail growled. "You tell her to stay away from the nursery. If I so much as see one hair from her pelt in there, I'll tear her whiskers out and feed them to her."

Firepaw blinked, surprised by her sudden anger. _Mallowtail is usually so kind, _he thought. "I don't think she really killed those kits…" Firepaw meowed. "She says she was framed."

Mallowtail lashed her tail. "A queen can never be too careful," she said, firmly. "I don't trust her, and neither should you." The queen rose and turned back towards the nursery.

Firepaw sighed. _I should at least see if Yellowfang wants her nest moved._

As though she had read his mind, he heard the old molly call out to him in a loud hiss. "Firepaw!"

The tom twitched his whiskers curiously before he padded over. Yellowfang had an odd look about her—she seemed on edge. Her fur bristled in the slightest, her eyes darted about, and her tail was twitching to and fro.

"Something wrong?" Firepaw asked. "Is the rain bothering you?

Yellowfang let out a _hmph_ and flipped her tail. "Don't be daft!" she spat. She stared past him, looking up. "The _crows,_ lad."

"The… crows?" Firepaw glanced over his shoulder, trying to follow her gaze. It took him a moment, but he noticed them—in a willow just outside of the reeds bordering camp. There was a whole flock there, quietly preening. "Oh. What about them?"

"StarClan's sake!" Yellowfang hissed. "Crows are an _omen_, you lizard-brain. They always come calling in such numbers when death is near…" her voice trailed off, though she continued to stare accusingly at the flock in the tree.

"I don't understand," Firepaw meowed, feeling a bit sheepish. "Why would some birds in a tree mean—"

"Firepaw!" Leopardfur's voice made Firepaw jump. "Come here."

Firepaw glanced over his shoulder. The deputy was sitting beside Silverpaw near the Warrior Den. "I've got to go," he said. "Mallowtail says the rain will have started to rot the prey, so you'll have to wait—"

"Mouse-dung to prey!" Yellowfang spat. "You listen here. I don't want you going out today. Crows are no joking matter. Why do you think a flock of that ragged lot is called a _murder_?"

Firepaw was a bit unsettled by her insistence, but he still hardly understood the sense of urgency. "I didn't know they _were_ called that," he said. "I don't know much about crows—"

"_Firepaw_!" Leopardfur snapped.

The apprentice winced. "I have to go. I'll bring you back something, alright?"

Yellowfang narrowed her eyes to slits and turned away from him. "Apprentices always think they know more than their betters," she grumbled.

Firepaw sighed and headed towards Leopardfur, who was looking increasingly more annoyed with each passing second.

"What took you so long?" she demanded.

"Yellowfang's just worrying about the crows," Firepaw explained, lowering his head. "She said I shouldn't be out. Something about crows having to do with death."

Silverpaw snorted. "That old hag wouldn't know a sign if it hit her on the nose."

Leopardfur swiftly and sharply cuffed him over the ears. "Be quiet," she snapped. "Crookedstar has decided that she is to be treated with respect. You may mistrust her all you want, but an experienced medicine cat is a valuable asset."

Silverpaw bowed his head, but his eyes burned with indignance. "Yes, Leopardfur."

"Firepaw," Leopardfur said, glancing back at him. "You may have noticed that the fresh-kill pile is soon to be soaked through. It'll need restocking, and it needs to be put somewhere out of the rain. I've already sent out a patrol at dawn, but I want it as stocked at it can be. You and Silverpaw will hunt at Sunningrocks. If you can't find any prey, then fish." She narrowed her eyes in the slightest. "Do not come back empty-pawed."

_Fox-dung!_ Firepaw thought. The last thing he wanted was to hunt alone with Silverpaw. He dipped his head anyway, knowing that he had no chance of arguing with the deputy. "Okay. I'll do my best."

"Very good," Leopardfur said, giving a quick nod. "Off with you, then. I should have a new place for the pile sorted by the time you return." She rose and left them quickly.

Silverpaw fixed him with a glare. "Come on, kittypet," he sneered. "You better not mess up my hunting."

Firepaw bit back a retort. _He wants to make me angry._ Instead of replying, he padded stiffy past the tom, heading for the camp entrance. Silverpaw huffed and hurried after him.

Before Firepaw padded through the reeds, he hesitated and glanced over his shoulder. Yellowfang was staring straight at him, that same frantic look about her. She lashed her tail before she closed her eyes and scowled.

_She's just superstitious,_ Firepaw thought. _It'll be alright._

"Keep up, Drypaw!" Silverpaw snapped.

Firepaw bristled with irritation. _Unless I end up killing Silverpaw._

The two toms crossed the river quickly. Silverpaw was much faster in the water than Firepaw, and had no intention of keeping pace with him. Still, Firepaw could handle himself well enough, and made it to the other side without much fuss. He shook himself off and sat down to taste the air. Silverpaw stalked across the Sunningrocks, presumably to find his own catch.

It took a moment, as the drizzle made it hard to catch any smells, but Firepaw picked up the scent of vole. He crouched down and began to follow the scent trail, eyes scanning the rocks. He didn't enjoy hunting here—although he had smaller paws than his Clanmates, which made it easier to scoop out prey from the crevices, the scattered rocks made it near impossible to see what he was hunting. Thankfully, he found it. The vole caught his eye as it darted over some scattered stones to nibble on some shoots that had grown between some pebbles.

Firepaw paused. His tail flicked with excitement, and it took him a moment to force himself to hold it still. He took a step forward, then another, slow as he could be. The other trouble of hunting on Sunningrocks was noise. It was all too easy to step on a loose stone or kick a few pebbles, and that was all it would take for prey to dart back into their burrow. Firepaw was careful to test the flat rocks before putting his weight on them. _I'll show Leopardfur I can be useful._

When he decided he was close enough, he paused again. Firepaw stiffened, readying himself to pounce.

_Snap!_

Both vole and Firepaw glanced up, startled by the sound of a breaking branch. By the time Firepaw looked back at the vole, it was already taking off. He tried to dart after it, but it scrambled underneath a stone, and was lost to him.

Firepaw glared back towards the source of the sound. Silverpaw was staring at him, a slight smirk on his face. "Oops," Silverpaw said. "My bad."

Firepaw's tail whipped in frustration. _Fox-dung!_ He growled quietly and set about trying to locate another rodent.

The morning continued on the same way. Whenever Firepaw found something, Silverpaw disturbed a bush, or kicked some rocks, or splashed some water for "minnow-hunting". Firepaw was empty-pawed, and his irritation only grew with each failure.

When Silverpaw had disturbed his fourth attempt, Firepaw whirled about on him. "What is the matter with you?" he demanded, lips drawn back in a snarl. "I know you're ruining my catches on purpose!"

Silverpaw tossed his head. "It's not _my_ fault you're an incompetent hunter, Drypaw."

"_Stop calling me that_!" Firepaw hissed. He knew Silverpaw was goading him, but he was too furious to care. "I swim the river same as you! You've been horrible to me for no reason since I got here!"

Silverpaw's smirk twisted into a scowl. "You're a pathetic excuse for a cat," he spat. "No self-respecting cat would let humans feed them slop and keep them in those dens. Kittypets like you shame _real_ cats like us!"

"I'm not even a kittypet anymore!" Firepaw retorted. "I gave up that life!"

"Only because you were too afraid to go back!" Silverpaw shot back. "You knew if you set foot on ThunderClan land, they'd gut you, and rightfully so. If you could've easily gone home from RiverClan land, you would've gone in a heartbeat, and you _know_ it!"

Firepaw hesitated. _Is he right?_ he wondered. _I only ended up in RiverClan because ThunderClan chased me here. Did I stay because I was a coward? _He narrowed his eyes. _No! That's not why I joined RiverClan._ "You're wrong," he insisted. "I knew the risks of staying. I wanted to be part of RiverClan."

Silverthorn scoffed. "And what a shame that you joined us. You barely can hunt, and you brought a kit-killer into the Clan. All you do is leech off us." He turned up his nose. "To be fair, who can blame you? It's your nature, same as all kittypets."

"Like you've caught anything!" Firepaw spat. "You've been so busy scaring off my prey that you haven't hunted at all. You're so obsessed with upsetting me that you have _nothing _to bring back to Leopardfur either!"

Silverpaw faltered. He had no response to that. His expression loosened, and his ears pricked. "Shut up," he said, voice suddenly urgent. "I heard something."

"No you didn't, you fox," Firepaw growled. "Quit trying to mess with me."

"_Shut up_. I'm serious," Silverpaw flattened his ears. "Something in the ferns."

"You're not fooling me," Firepaw said, his meow still edged with anger. "Just give it up and we can go back to hunting."

"You stupid kittypet, just pay attention for one second," Silverpaw insisted. He lifted his head, as though scanning the undergrowth. "There's something—"

"_Attack_!"

Firepaw nearly jumped out of his pelt at the sudden shriek. He turned in time to see cats streaming out of the thick undergrowth.

ThunderClan.

He had no time to react. A tabby warrior leaped straight for him and bowled him over. Firepaw had the breath knocked out of him as he was slammed to the ground. The enemy warrior let out a loud hiss. "Fish-face!"

Firepaw couldn't see Silverpaw, but he heard the apprentice let out a screech, followed by a loud thud. Firepaw squirmed, but it was hopeless. The tom pinning him was much too large.

"It's just a couple of apprentices!" A molly scoffed. "RiverClan spread too thin for a proper border patrol?"

"Shut up, squirrel-chaser!" Silverpaw spat. "If you two weren't holding me down like cowards, I'd—"

"Shut it!" A tom snapped. Silverpaw hissed in pain—the cat must have struck him. "I have no need to kill apprentices, but I don't want to bring the whole of RiverClan upon us." His deep voice was familiar. "The rest of you, get to work. We may be able to reclaim Sunningrocks without a proper battle."

_Is that Tigerclaw? _Firepaw wondered. He tried to turn his head to see, but the warrior slammed a paw to his head and pressed his face into the ground. "Don't even try to escape, fish-face," the tom ordered.

"I'm _not_!" Firepaw grunted. _There's nothing we could do anyway. I didn't have time to count, but… we're way outnumbered._

"Good," the tom huffed. "You and your buddy behave, and we might let you go when we're done with only a scratch or two."

Firepaw's stomach swirled. _Is Thistlestar here?_ he thought. _What if they change their minds and kill us?_ The cats seemed to be moving around. One tom, a darker tabby, padded into his view. He tasted the air before he padded over to a large rock, and lifted his tail to mark it.

_They're covering up the scent markers! _Firepaw thought. _If it's that easy to take territory, why doesn't it happen more often?_

A new screech rang out from across the river. All of the intruders paused, and the tom holding him started.

Firepaw noticed the grip on him loosen, and he took the chance. He lashed out as hard as he could with his hind legs, and kicked the warrior directly in the gut. With a wheeze, the tom stumbled back.

The sound of splashing came from the other side of the river. Help was coming.

Firepaw stood, and without thinking, he leaped upon his attacker. The tom reacted in time to latch his claws into Firepaw's shoulders, and the two rolled over, kicking and biting.

The dark tabby raced to the warrior's aid, but he stopped as RiverClan cats burst from the water.

Firepaw and the warrior fell apart from each other, and both looked towards the RiverClan cats. Leopardfur was facing off against the dark tabby, while Silverstream, Sunwhisker, Blackclaw, Weaselfoot, and Shadepaw were all on the shore, each racing for a ThunderClan cat.

The tabby let out a hiss and swiped for Firepaw's face. He ducked, but still felt sharp claws graze his cheek. Firepaw stepped back, trying to recall his training. _Other cats are useless in the water,_ he reminded himself. _Dawnwhisker said to always lure them towards it._

The tom growled and crouched down to spring for him. The coming move was obvious, and Firepaw rolled away easily—getting ever closer to the riverbank. "Come on, flea-bag!" Firepaw taunted, as he rolled back up onto his paws. "You ThunderClan cats are clumsier than kits!"

The warrior let out a hiss. Wordlessly, he charged for Firepaw. The apprentice jumped to the side, but he clumsily bumped into another cat. He turned to face them, and hesitated as he recognized the cat as Sandpaw. "Sandpaw?" he meowed.

The molly struck him across the face before he could react, and claws tore through his cheek again. Firepaw yowled at the sharp pain and stepped back. "Ow!" he protested. "What was that—"

Sandpaw reared up and swiped for him again. Firepaw ducked, thinking she was aiming for his ears, but she suddenly slammed her paws down on his shoulders and twisted. The molly shoved him right off his paws and brought him down.

"This is a battle!" She spat. "Quit doddering around or run home!"

_So that's how it is!_ Firepaw narrowed his eyes. _You aren't as big as that warrior, fox-heart!_ He wrenched his paws free and shoved her in the chest. He managed to push Sandpaw off of him, but she held her balance well as she jumped free of his claws. She pounced forward and sliced her claws along his flank before he could stand.

Firepaw gritted his teeth, but forced himself to his paws. He felt hot blood dripping down towards his belly from the cut, but it only fueled him on. He leaped for Sandpaw. She fell onto her back, and kicked him as he landed on her. One foot hit his leg, and another paw was thrust against his jaw. Firepaw moved his face, but she lashed out with her other forepaw and split his nose open. Firepaw recoiled, blood spurting from his nose, and shrieked.

Sandpaw lunged up and knocked him away. She faced him, ears flat. "Just swim on home and it can be over," she hissed.

She didn't notice Shadepaw racing toward her from behind, but Firepaw did, and he smirked. Sandpaw furrowed her brow, and started to look over her shoulder, but a moment too late. Shadepaw leaped and landed right on Sandpaw's back. Sandpaw yowled and crumpled under the RiverClan molly. Shadepaw glanced at Firepaw. "I've got this one," she said. "Get back to camp! You don't need to get any more scratched up than you already are."

"I'm fine!" Firepaw replied. His wounds were burning, but he had fight left in him. He turned away to find another adversary, and paused a moment to assess the battle.

Silverstream was tussling with a warrior molly about her size, while Sunwhisker and Blackclaw were fighting back-to-back against two other warriors. But it was Silverpaw who caught his attention—the tom was hissing at Tigerclaw, who batted him back to the ground as though he were only a dead mouse. The deputy was simply massive, especially compared to short-legged Silverpaw.

Firepaw watched a moment longer. The sight of the brutish tom striking down one of his biggest bullies should have pleased him, but Firepaw felt his blood go cold. Would Tigerclaw kill him? _Is this the death Yellowfang warned me about?_

Firepaw didn't wait a heartbeat longer. He raced across Sunningrocks, dodging around the battling cats. Tigerclaw slammed a huge paw down on Silverpaw's chest. The deputy leaned in and snarled in his face.

Firepaw leaped, aiming for Tigerclaw's back. His claws latched into the deputy's shoulders as he landed with full force.

It wasn't enough to topple the giant tom, but he grunted from the sudden weight. Firepaw swayed dangerously as the tom stood straight and glared up at him over his shoulders. The apprentice dug in his claws as deep as he could, but the tom's pelt was thick, and the skin around his shoulders loose. "Little flea," Tigerclaw growled. With a grunt, he reared up, shaking himself. Firepaw held his grip, and sank his teeth into Tigerclaw's scruff for measure.

Firepaw struggled to keep his claws in. He felt himself slipping as Tigerclaw held himself upright. His claws lost their hold, and he slid down Tigerclaw's back, tearing fur out as he went. Firepaw released him completely and jumped clear.

Tigerclaw lowered himself down to all fours again and whirled upon Firepaw. His ears were flat, and lips were drawn back in a snarl. "RiverClan pest," he growled. "I'll—" He threw back his head in a sudden yowl.

Silverpaw had rose and was biting into his tail, bristling like a hedgehog. Tigerclaw turned around, trying to swipe at him, but Silverpaw kept moving, still digging his teeth deep into Tigerclaw's thick tail.

Firepaw darted forward while Tigerclaw was distracted and scored his claws down his hind leg. Tigerclaw turned towards him this time, hissing furiously. Silverpaw left the tail and reared up to sink his claws into Tigerclaw's haunches, and leaned in to snap at his spine.

Tigerclaw seemed to have decided to ignore Silverpaw this time, for he swung a hefty paw at Firepaw, knocking him in the head. His claws didn't tear his face, but his paw was heavy, and Firepaw stumbled back, dizzy. He blinked up, trying to focus, and saw Tigerclaw readying another strike.

"Enough, Tigerclaw." Leopardfur's cold voice stilled the mighty tom. "Quit battering around apprentices and let's finish this." The molly was standing close by, back arched in a challenge.

Tigerclaw looked her over, then paused a moment to survey the battle. Behind him, Silverpaw backed away uncertainly.

Something caught Tigerclaw's attention, and Firepaw noticed an odd sort of gleam to his eyes. "No need," Tigerclaw huffed. He straightened back up, anger seemingly forgotten. "Your apprentices aren't half-bad, Leopardfur, but perhaps you should teach them not to take on cats they aren't ready for." He let out an odd sort of chuckle. "If you hadn't brought my attention to the greater situation, this one might have been missing an eye." He twitched his tail. "RiverClan can keep these rocks a little longer."

The deputy lifted his head and let out a yowl. "ThunderClan!" he roared. "Back to camp!"

He nodded briefly to Leopardfur before he turned away and darted back towards the ferns. He crashed on through, and the rustling ferns were the only sign he'd been there.

The other ThunderClan cats were quick to follow. Sandpaw, fur ruffled and pelt riddled with scratches, tore off first. The tabby tom that had first attacked Firepaw followed, a molly close behind. Another cat tore themselves free from Blackclaw, leaving behind a few clumps of fur.

Only one cat remained—the darker tabby. He was staring at something on the ground, back to Firepaw. An uncertain moment passed, and he turned to head for the ferns. As he moved around, Firepaw noticed the blood coating his jaws.

Leopardfur snorted softly. "Coward," she muttered. She lifted her head and scanned the area. "Everyone accounted for?"

Shadepaw shook herself. "Think so."

"ThunderClan cats are all gone," Silverstream said.

Blackclaw glanced around. "Where's Sunwhisker?"

Firepaw felt cold. The other warriors from the defending patrol were all standing and looking around. _What the tabby was looking at… it couldn't have… _

"No!" Weaselfoot suddenly yowled. "Sunwhisker!"

Leopardfur's eyes narrowed. She stalked across Sunningrocks towards Weaselfoot. Firepaw followed uncertainly. Weaselfoot was standing near a large boulder—and just around it lay the still body of Sunwhisker.

Firepaw's stomach swirled. The molly's throat was coated in her own blood. Her eyes were still open, lips drawn back in a snarl. Her claws reached out for nothing.

"StarClan," Blackclaw breathed. "Beetleclaw is going to be distraught."

"Poor Sunwhisker," Silverstream murmured. "She was so kind."

Leopardfur flicked her tail. She maintained her usual regal composure, but grief was clear in her eyes. "I'll take her body. Blackclaw, Weaselfoot, stay behind and cover and their wretched scent. The rest of you, back to camp."

Firepaw turned towards the river, away from the body. _That tabby must have killed Sunwhisker,_ he thought. _He was covered in blood._ For a moment, he looked up towards the trees on the edge of the river.

Crows crowded every branch. One let out a throaty caw, and then they took to the sky, lifting off in a great flurry of leaves and feathers.


	15. Chapter 13

The Clan huddled together in clusters, despite the rain. It had picked up into a steady downpour, and though it masked the smell of Sunwhisker's blood and her death-scent, there was little reassurance that came from it. Beetleclaw, who had let out a great yowl of fury upon the sight of her body and sworn to flay every ThunderClan cat, was now slumped silently against Petalstream. He had nearly taken to the river to make good on his declaration of vengeance, and it had taken the strength of both Whiteclaw and Voleclaw to hold him until he relented.

Firepaw sat beside Beechpaw. The pair were on the edge of the gathering—neither were close to Sunwhisker, so they stayed back to let her friends and kin see her.

"Poor Minkpaw," Beechpaw murmured. "Grasspaw, too, but he's holding up better." He nodded in the former's direction—she had her face buried in Shadepaw's side, tail lashing about.

Firepaw hummed his agreement. _Minkpaw's usually so strong,_ he thought. _But family is important to Clan cats. _"Hope she'll be alright."

Beechpaw sighed and lowered himself to a crouch. "How was the battle?" he asked. "You know, aside from… the obvious."

Firepaw hesitated a moment. "It was… hard, I guess. They were pretty tough." The scratches on his face and his split nose had dried, but the wounds stung. "Sandpaw was there. She nearly tore my nose off."

"Ouch," Beechpaw replied, wincing for effect. "Yeah, I think I fought with her for a moment once. She's no joke, I'll say. Might even call her a 'claw or a 'fang one day, but I dunno if she hunts well too."

"What do you mean?" Firepaw asked. A few cats shot them irritated looks, so he lowered his voice after an apologetic bow of his head. "About calling her a 'claw' or 'fang', I mean."

"Either would mean she's a skilled fighter," Beechpaw said. "Though 'fang' would mean she's equally regarded as a hunter and fighter."

Firepaw twitched his whiskers. "Oh." He lifted a paw, licked it, and drew it over his bloodied nose. He thought on this for a moment before continuing. "So Blackclaw, Whiteclaw, Beetleclaw, and Voleclaw… they got that name for being good at fighting?"

Beechpaw glanced around in an odd sort of way before he looked back at Firepaw. Very quietly, he replied, "Well, there's a sort of rumor that Beetleclaw and Voleclaw got their names because of being Hailstar's kits—he was the leader before Crookedstar—but no one likes to talk about it." His eyes darted about again, as though making sure no one was eavesdropping, and added, "Beetleclaw and Voleclaw would certainly rip off your nose if you asked about it."

"What's wrong with how they got their names?" Firepaw asked, voice a whisper. He was having trouble understanding the drama of it all.

"Well…" Beechpaw jerked his chin, gesturing for them to move back. They stepped a few paces farther away from their Clanmates and sat again. "You know how names are important. It makes certain ones mean less if you just go throwing them on any old cat. Do you think _you_ would ever get named 'claw'?"

Firepaw knew there was no malice in the question, but he flattened his ears, a bit embarrassed, before replying. "Well, no."

"Exactly," Beechpaw said. "Now, if, say, most ThunderClan cats knew you weren't our best fighter but heard that Crookedstar named you Fireclaw or something... They'd start getting the idea that _all_ our 'claw' cats are weak, and they might be inclined to step over the border a bit more, you know?"

Firepaw considered this before he nodded. "That makes sense."

Beechpaw twitched his whiskers. "It's also a thing of honor, too," he added. "A cat who got a name like that might think their leader doesn't think much of them if they went around naming just anybody it."

Firepaw was quiet for a few moments before he meowed, "Thanks. Cats don't always take the time to explain things to me."

Beechpaw grinned. "Some cats think you're minnow-brained, but it's only because you weren't raised here. You'd probably be on the same level as the rest of us apprentices if you had been."

Firepaw smiled, pleased with this, and turned his attention back to his grooming.

Eventually, he heard pawsteps coming their way from behind them, and Firepaw glanced up to see Mudfur padding towards them. The medicine cat nodded briefly to them. "Got a few scratches, I see," Mudfur meowed. "Mind if I have a look at them?" He didn't wait for a reply, and crouched beside Firepaw to sniff at a scratch along his flank.

"Everything okay?" Firepaw asked.

Mudfur sat up. "It doesn't look too deep. Still bleeding anywhere?" After a shake of Firepaw's head, he went on, "Good, good. Just be sure to give all the scratches a good wash. Your nose will probably be smarting a while, but I see no reason to worry."

"Er—alright," Firepaw replied. "Thank you."

Mudfur nodded. He turned his attention to the gathered cats for a moment. "You know Yellowfang better than I," he said. "Do you think she's alright? I offered her fresh-kill and she nearly bit my tail off."

Firepaw swallowed, throat tightening as he recalled the warning she tried to give him. "I think she's mad," he said, quietly. "She saw a bunch of crows before the battle and told me not to go out because they bring death or something." He shuffled his paws. "I mentioned it to Leopardfur, but she didn't think anything of it." He got an unsettled feeling, deep in his stomach. "Mudfur… is it my fault that the battle happened?"

Mudfur quickly shook his head. "No, lad. No one would have taken Yellowfang's word seriously, given that she's an outsider." He twitched his tail. "Although… I suppose that does give me an idea of sorts as to how to improve her situation."

Firepaw hardly felt comforted, but he nodded anyway. "What do you mean?"

"If StarClan sent her a sign about Sunwhisker's death, perhaps this might be their way of proving she is still a true medicine cat." He smiled wryly. "I'll speak to Crookedstar… though it might embarrass my daughter to hear she ignored a medicine cat's sign."

Firepaw was quiet. _I'm not sure I understand,_ he thought. _StarClan seemed to be a whole lot of myth and stories… but maybe there's more to it if the crows were sent by them._

"I'll be off, then," Mudfur meowed. "More cats to see to." The medicine cat padded away, and Firepaw watched as he quietly weaved his way through the Clan.

Time passed, and eventually, cats began to move away from the body. Beetleclaw moved closer to Sunwhisker and crouched beside her. He whispered something, then straightened back up and nodded once. Petalstream padded towards him, as did Graypool, and the three began to move her body. Cats parted so that they could slowly drag her out of camp and through the reeds.

"Where will they take her?" Firepaw asked.

Beechpaw shifted his paws. "If Beetleclaw knows of a favorite spot of hers, they'll lay her to rest there. Otherwise, we bury them somewhere along the river." Quietly, he added, "My parents both went under a nice willow with a view of the stepping stones. That was where my Pa asked my mother to be his mate."

Firepaw hesitated, unsure of what to say. After a moment, he touched his tail to his friend's side in a show of sympathy. "Maybe you can show me sometime."

Beechpaw grinned. "Yeah. It's a nice place."

Firepaw hadn't seen Crookedstar climb atop the flat stone near his den, so the sudden yowl startled him. He craned his neck to see the tabby tom standing tall on it. The leader waited a few moments until all were watching him, and he sat.

"RiverClan," he said. "Today we have lost a beloved Clanmate to ThunderClan. Sunwhisker was a mother, a mate, and a friend to all. She was dependable and kind—she nursed my own Silverstream when her mother passed." He took a breath before he continued. "Because she was slain by a warrior, I will go ThunderClan tomorrow at dawn to demand reparations for the loss, as the Code demands."

"What if they refuse?" Weaselfoot asked. "They've done it before."

"There were accidents before," Crookedstar meowed. His voice rasped a moment as he continued. "As with Oakheart. Thistlestar had lost his sister in the river a season before, an accident too, so I allowed it to pass. This was no accident. Her throat was torn." He flattened his ears. "Did anyone see her killer?"

There was a pause of quiet. Cats glanced around, waiting for someone to speak.

_The tabby!_ Firepaw recalled. A bit nervously, he raised his voice. "I did. Or… at least I think I did."

"What did the cat look like?" Crookedstar asked, fixing his gaze on the apprentice. "Any detail helps."

Firepaw frowned. "Sort of a dark tabby," he said. "Not Tigerclaw. Another cat. They were sort of tall, I guess?"

Crookedstar thought a moment. "What color? Brown or gray?"

"Gray," Firepaw said.

Crookedstar nodded once. "Darkstripe, I would wager." He sighed heavily. "Very well. I will assemble a patrol in the morning. As for the rest of today… get rest if you need it. If you're able, please hunt. Dismissed." He jumped down from the stone and immediately turned and headed into his den.

Firepaw stood up and shook his wet pelt out. "I think I'm going to go to the den," he said. His legs were sore, even though the day was still hardly spent.

"I'll join you," Beechpaw said. "All the prey will be hiding anyway. Maybe we can do some hunting after a nap."

Firepaw turned to lead the way towards the den. He padded inside, relieved to be free of the rain at last. The tom found his nest quickly and set to grooming his pelt. Beechpaw settled beside him to do the same, and once the pair had finished their work, they curled up to sleep.


	16. Chapter 14

"Up and at 'em."

Firepaw was awakened with a rough shake, as it went in the early mornings. He blinked, still confused from sleep, to see Dawnwhisker standing over him. "Wha?"

"We're going to ThunderClan," Dawnwhisker said. "Crookedstar wants you to come since you actually saw the cat who killed Sunwhisker."

Firepaw sat up and gave himself a shake. He could hear the pattering of rain outside—it seemed it had yet to pass. He swallowed a bit, immediately thinking of Thistlestar. In his mind's eye, the huge tom loomed over him, teeth bared. "D-do I have to?" he mumbled. "I don't know that I'm going to be much help—"

"No arguing," Dawnwhisker snapped. She was clearly tired, for it was the only time she was short like this. "This isn't a usual patrol or training session. Crookedstar specifically said you were to come. Now let's go."

Firepaw steeled himself and nodded. His mentor left the den, tail twitching with impatience. He cast a quick glance around the den—it looked as though all the other apprentices were still asleep. _It must be early._ He sighed to himself, stood, and stepped carefully over the sleeping form of Beechpaw as he headed out of the den.

Outside, it was hardly light out. The sun had barely risen, though it was hard to tell at all from the thick rain clouds overhead. Crookedstar sat near the reeds, joined by Whiteclaw, Frogleap, and Silverstream. Dawnwhisker had just crossed the camp and sat near Crookedstar. She said something to him, and the leader nodded.

Firepaw glanced towards Yellowfang's usual place, but she was nowhere to be found. _She must've finally gone inside a den, _he thought. _About time._

Crookedstar nodded at the apprentice as he joined them. "Seems we're all here, then," he said. "Let's be off."

The warriors each rose, and Crookedstar turned to pad through the reeds.

"Wait!" Beetleclaw came racing from the Warriors' Den, bristling. Firepaw started at the sight of him, and the others exchanged glances. "Take me with you." He stopped short of the patrol, eyes narrowed. "She was my mate!"

Crookedstar visibly sighed as he turned back around. "I talked to you about this, Beetleclaw," he said. "Your anger will cloud your judgement. This is risky enough. I cannot have you starting a fight in ThunderClan's own camp."

Beetleclaw looked down at his paws. "I won't."

Crookedstar shook his head. "I can't take that risk. I'm sorry." He lifted his head. "I order you to stay in camp until we return."

Beetleclaw stared back at him for a long moment, before he set his jaw and scowled. Slowly, he sat down and bowed his head.

"Come," Crookedstar meowed, to the patrol. "Let's get on with it."

Firepaw followed close behind Dawnwhisker as the patrol began to leave. He glanced over his shoulder towards Beetleclaw. The usually tough-looking tom looked tired, with his shoulders sagged and his ears flat. Firepaw turned his gaze away and stepped through the reeds.

Crookedstar led them at a quick pace. He trudged into the river without waiting, Silverstream close behind him. Firepaw was the last to enter the water, and he struggled to keep up with the other experienced swimmers. When they reached the other side, each cat paused to give themselves a shake - though Firepaw seemed to be the most wet, given that the others' pelts shed water much easier than his.

They crossed Sunningrocks to the treeline that made up the border. The sparse ferns thickened beyond the border, tangled with brambles and bushes of all sizes. Crookedstar commanded them to wait right on the border, so Firepaw sat beside Dawnwhisker. He couldn't help but feel anxious as he stared off into the deep woods. He was older and stronger than he had been when he first ran through ThunderClan, but he could never shake his fear of Thistlestar.

No one made conversation. It seemed everyone was on edge - he could see it in the twitching of their tails and bristled pelts. It wasn't until they heard rustling in the undergrowth across the border that Crookedstar stood again.

Firepaw smelled the patrol before he saw them. They came into view as they grew closer. A large gray tom led the way through the thick ferns, and he paused as he noticed the RiverClan cats seated along the border.

Another cat, a small molly, stepped out of the undergrowth. "What's the holdup?"

The tom lifted his tail. "RiverClan!" he called, before he slowly stepped closer towards the border. "State your business." Another cat joined them, a tall red tortoiseshell.

Crookedstar nodded to him. "Hello, Stonefur. A Clanmate of yours killed one of my warriors. I'm here to talk to Thistlestar."

Stonefur frowned. He shook his head slightly and sighed. "I'm sorry to hear that. Come on, then."

"Just like that?" The molly asked.

The tortoiseshell glanced at her. "Of course, Mousefur. That's how things work."

Crookedstar led them over the border. Firepaw hesitated and swallowed before he followed Dawnwhisker. She glanced over her shoulder at him and offered a reassuring smile.

The ThunderClan cats casually surrounded them—the tortoiseshell and Mousefur walked along each side of their patrol, while Stonefur and Crookedstar walked side-by-side at the head. Firepaw couldn't hear what the two toms were saying, but they conversed quietly as Stonefur directed the patrol around thickets of brambles. The forest was wild and overgrown, but it seemed the ThunderClan cats had worked out narrow paths between the bushes and clumps of ferns. Firepaw tried not to stare at the trees. Each was marked with several sets of claw-marks. There didn't seem to be a single trunk that wasn't clawed—at one point, Stonefur even stopped to reach up and score his claws down a young ash tree.

He briefly wondered which of the marks belonged to Thistlestar.

Eventually, Stonefur stopped short of a steep slope. It was surrounded by thick brambles, but there seemed to be an entrance-like hole in the mass of them right before the gray tom. He glanced back at the patrol. "The way down is steep and rocky," he warned. "But no one's broken any limbs. Just don't go running down." With that, he ducked through the passageway and headed down.

One by one, each cat followed. Mousefur waited at the entrance, staring expectantly at Firepaw. He blinked sheepishly and hurried after Frogleap.

Once they stepped through the undergrowth, Firepaw had a full view of the camp. It was a wide ravine, surrounded on all sides by steep slopes. The rocky wall across from theirs was much steeper, and there were a number of wide holes along it, presumably the dens. A massive boulder sat in the center of camp. A fallen oak lay across one end of the camp, and a few patches of ferns and stumps were scattered throughout, but otherwise, it was relatively empty. There were only a few cats out, and they quickly seemed to notice the enemy presence in their camp.

"Stonefur!" A blue-furred molly called. "What's this?"

"ThunderClan came to speak with Thistlestar," the tom replied. "Apparently the battle patrol yesterday failed to report that a cat was killed."

The molly curled her lip. She glanced over them as they reached the bottom of the slope. "Of course it wasn't mentioned," she growled, and Firepaw got the feeling that her anger wasn't directed at the RiverClan visitors. "Well…" she caught Crookedstar's gaze. "Do you know who it was?"

Crookedstar looked to Firepaw and beckoned him closer with a flick of his tail. Firepaw swallowed and padded closer. "An apprentice saw Sunwhisker's killer," he meowed. "This is Firepaw."

The molly looked him up and down. She was clearly a senior warrior, as her muzzle was flecked with gray, but he could see hard muscles beneath her pelt. "Bluefur," she said, after a long pause. "What did the cat look like?"

Firepaw bowed his head a little, trying to keep his fur flat. Being here had him completely on edge. Quietly, he answered her, "He… was a dark tabby. Crookedstar said it might be a cat named Darkstripe."

Bluefur twitched her whiskers. "Chin up, lad," she said. "You are not a mouse. Do not speak to me as though you were one."

Firepaw blinked and lifted his gaze. She gave a nod. "Better. Now, if you saw this cat, do you think you could identify him?"

Firepaw nodded.

"Speak up," Bluefur told him. Her tail twitched with impatience.

"Yes," Firepaw quickly replied.

"Ma'am," Bluefur quipped.

Firepaw stared blankly at her for a moment. "Y-yes, ma'am."

"Very good," Bluefur said. "Darkstripe is hunting with Thistlestar and Mistyfoot. They should be back shortly." Her tone was curt. She looked to Crookedstar. "Our deputy is out as well. Your cats may wait here until Thistlestar returns." She turned and padded away.

Crookedstar simply looked amused by the entire exchange. Firepaw glanced at his leader, still feeling nervous. "Did I do something wrong?" he asked.

Crookedstar shook his head and smiled. "No, Firepaw, you did fine. ThunderClan cats… well, they value respect. A senior warrior like Bluefur has earned it, so she demands it." He shrugged. "It's just their way around here."

"We don't really bother with their formalities," Silverstream commented. "It's unnecessary."

"And we're all a family," Dawnwhisker added. "They work differently here."

Firepaw nodded. _I can tell._

They sat about for a while. It was an awkward thing—cats glared suspiciously at them and queens pulled their kits back into the nursery at the sight of the outsiders.

Patrols came and went, but there was no sign of Thistlestar or Darkstripe. Firepaw scowled when he saw Sandpaw scramble down the ravine, followed by a large white cat. He could still feel where the feisty molly had clawed him yesterday.

She didn't seem pleased to see him, either. "RiverClan!" she spat. "What are _they_ doing here?"

The older cat gave her a stern look. "If they aren't battling our Clanmates, they are guests, Sandpaw. Treat them as such."

Sandpaw curled her lip at that. She glared right at Firepaw, as though his very presence offended her. He held her gaze until she bared her teeth and stalked away.

Dawnwhisker seemed to have noticed. "You know her?" she asked.

"Barely," Firepaw grumbled. "Beechpaw introduced us at the Gathering, and I fought her yesterday."

"Mm," Dawnwhisker hummed. "It happens. We smile at each other during the truce and go back to ripping out fur afterwards."

_But why?_ he thought. _I still don't understand why everyone can't just get along well enough._ He huffed quietly and decided to groom his pelt.

"He's here!" Frogleap suddenly hissed.

Firepaw glanced towards the camp entrance and stiffened. There was Thistlestar, flanked by a blue-gray molly and the dark tabby from the battle. The leader was still terrifyingly massive, and it seemed to only take a few strides for him to reach the bottom of the ravine. Thistlestar hardly seemed startled by the RiverClan cats. He lifted his head and briefly scanned the patrol. "So," he rumbled. "We have visitors."

"Here to complain about the battle, I bet!" the tabby hissed. The molly just shook her head with exasperation.

Crookedstar stood. If the tom was angry or nervous, he hid it well. "Greetings, Thistlestar," he said, flatly. "One of your cats killed one of mine."

Thistlestar padded closer until he stood a fox-length away from Crookedstar. "Is that so?" he replied. His tail slowly swept from one side to the other. "Tragic."

Frogleap let out a hiss. He looked as though he was going to speak, but Silverstream glared at him and shook her head.

Crookedstar narrowed his eyes. "You know what is to be done, Thistlestar. Sunwhisker's killer must hunt for her kin. A piece for all who considered her family."

Thistlestar looked nearly amused by the suggestion. "I was not told a cat died," he said. "And you have not given me a name for her 'killer'. A nameless cat cannot hunt for your Clan."

Crookedstar looked to Firepaw. "Firepaw," he said. "Point out the cat you saw."

Firepaw nodded in the tabby's direction. "Him," he said. "That was the cat."

Thistlestar glanced at the tom. "Darkstripe," he said, quietly. "What did you do this time?" His tone was that of a queen reprimanding a kit.

Darkstripe flattened his ears. He glared at Firepaw. "I—I have nothing to say," he meowed. "It was a battle."

"Hmm." Thistlestar glanced at Firepaw. He was quiet, a moment, before his eyes widened. A slow smile spread across his features, before he started to quietly chuckle. His laughter grew louder until he was practically howling.

The others looked on uncomfortably. Not even ThunderClan shared in his mirth.

"_You_!" he choked out. "You expect me to take the word of _that_?" He threw back his head in laughter. "What a joke!"

Crookedstar flattened his ears. "Speak plainly."

"The _kittypet_!" Thistlestar retorted. "You bring a kittypet into my camp and expect me to send a cat to hunt for you? Bah!" He snorted loudly. "Get out of my sight."

"He practically just admitted to it!" Dawnwhisker spat. "You have no right to pretend this didn't happen!"

"We have all lost cats," Thistlestar said. He seemed to have gotten control of himself, though he still smirked. "But I didn't think RiverClan had the audacity to make a _kittypet_ an apprentice!"

"A what?"

Cats were beginning to creep from their dens. Some started to approach the patrol.

"A kittypet?"

"RiverClan has a kittypet?"

Firepaw shrunk back. He stared back at Thistlestar, eyes wide. He didn't know what to say. Dawnwhisker moved in front of him, hackles bristling with fury. "There is no kittypet here," she spat. "My apprentice is a RiverClan cat!"

Thistlestar just laughed harshly again. "Oh, Dawnwhisker," he replied. "You can fool yourself all you like. Though I suppose you fat, sunbathing cats wouldn't know the difference between a kittypet and a _real _cat, anyway." He sneered. "After all, you're not so different to begin with."

Dawnwhisker let out a screech and leaped for the ThunderClan leader.

There was a brief moment, before they collided, when everything was silent. No one moved a hair. But as soon as Dawnwhisker slammed into the massive tom, ThunderClan erupted with wild howls and shrieks. They leapt and raced for the outsiders, crowding around them and forcing them close together. No one hurried to defend Thistlestar—Firepaw figured they thought he could defend himself.

The two cats rolled over and over, a shrieking mass of fur and claws. It was a very quick thing, lasting only a few seconds, until they fell away from each other. Both were panting, and Thistlestar was missing a patch of his thick pelt from his shoulder. Thistlestar snarled and leaped for Dawnwhisker. She wasn't fast enough to react well enough, and they only rolled once before Thistlestar slammed her against the ground and held her there.

The din fell as the onlookers waited for his move. Not even Crookedstar said anything. He watched, eyes wide and unblinking.

"You…" Thistlestar panted. "Stupid, disgusting fish-face… I could take your life right now… If I wanted it."

Dawnwhisker bared her teeth and hissed. "Then do it, you coward!"

Firepaw trembled. Was he about to watch his mentor be slaughtered before him? He wished he had the courage to race to her defense - but he could still remember the sting of Thistlestar's powerful claws, and fear churned in his belly.

Thistlestar heaved a few more heavy breaths before he spoke again. "It would be better to let you live with the humiliation," he decided. "Your Clanmates will see what a _pathetic _excuse for a warrior you are. Challenging a Clan leader in his own camp!" He lifted a paw, claws unsheathed. "Remember this the next time you get the urge to defend a _kittypet_." He brought down his paw on her face.

Dawnwhisker screamed with pain. Thistlestar stepped off of her. She writhed about on the ground, and it wasn't until she whirled about towards her Clanmates that Firepaw saw what he had done—Thistleclaw had torn right through her eye. Blood ran down her face as she hissed and trembled.

"You monster!" Silverstream yowled. "You've blinded her!"

"Don't be stupid," Thistlestar replied. His calm demeanor had suddenly returned. "She still has one perfectly good eye. Now…" he narrowed his eyes to slits. "Get out of my sight, or I will order my Clan to flay you all."

Silverstrem and Frogleap hurried to Dawnwhisker. They helped her up, and she slumped between them, hardly holding herself up. They supported her as they led her towards Crookedstar and Firepaw.

Crookedstar stared down Thistlestar, rage burning in his eyes. He hissed wordlessly, before he began to pad towards the path up the ravine. Firepaw stuck close behind him. The ThunderClan cats parted to let them through, hissing as they passed.

No one spoke on the trip home. The only sounds were that of the birdsong and Dawnwhisker's whimpering.


	17. Chapter 15

Firepaw crouched just outside of Mudfur's den, sheltered from the rain by an overhanging willow. Crookedstar paced back and forth, while Silversteam and Leopardfur looked on. Most cats were in camp, and the Clan was tense. The patrol had relayed the events of their visit to their Clanmates, and it seemed everyone was worried. They huddled in clusters, casting anxious glances towards Crookedstar.

There was a quiet rustling, and Mudfur stepped out from his den. He looked tired as he glanced down at Firepaw. "You can see her now, if you'd like."

Firepaw swallowed. "Is she going to be okay?"

Mudfur sighed. "Dawnwhisker is a strong warrior, but no one can take a blow like that easily. She would be incredibly lucky if she were to ever see from that eye again."

Firepaw nodded a little. He felt sick. Thistlestar had contemplated killing her and half-blinded her as a compromise. _Is this what Clan life is really like?_ He wondered. _Or is it just ThunderClan?_ He rose. "I'll come in."

Mudfur nodded and turned around to pad back inside. Firepaw followed him in. The den was dark and warm, and the heavy scent of herbs masked any trace of blood. Dawnwhisker was lying on her side in a nest, while Yellowfang sat nearby. Firepaw was surprised by the old molly's presence. "Yellowfang?" he meowed.

"She'll be working with me," Mudfur replied. "But that's a subject for another time."

"Shame about the eye," Yellowfang grunted. "Did you at least get a good blow in?"

Dawnwhisker coughed out a laugh. "He'll have an ugly bald patch on his shoulder for some time."

"Pah," Yellowfang huffed. "That brute was ugly to begin with. Probably improved his looks, if anything."

Dawnwhisker laughed again at that, and Firepaw smiled. She lifted her head to look at him. Half her face was swathed in a mass of cobwebs and willow leaves. Only one eye blinked at him. "Firepaw," she meowed. "Crookedstar's furious, isn't he?"

Firepaw hesitated before he nodded. "He's been storming around camp since he got back. He hasn't announced anything yet, but everyone knows what happened."

Dawnwhisker sighed and laid her head on her paws. "I really messed up big today," she grumbled. "StarClan, my face hurts." She clenched her eye shut and hissed to herself. "I don't know what got into me. He was acting like Sunwhisker's death was a joke, and then what he said about you and all of RiverClan…" her voice trailed off.

Yellowfang shook her head. "He was goading you, you oaf," she said.

"I know," Dawnwhisker sighed. "I know."

"Hmm." Yellowfang twitched her tail. "If it weren't you, though, it would have been someone else. You were just the first to get too angry."

Dawnwhisker flicked an ear, but she didn't speak.

Mudfur gently nudged Firepaw. He directed the apprentice back towards the mouth of the den. "Best to leave her be," he murmured. "She'll live, but she'll be in pain for a while and her pride will be sore for longer."

Firepaw stepped outside of the den. "Who will train me, though?" he asked.

Mudfur shrugged. "That's not up to me. I'm sure Crookedstar will work something out once he's cooled off."

Firepaw glanced in his leader's direction. The tom was still pacing. Crookedstar paused as he noticed them watching, then started to walk towards them. He stopped in front of Mudfur, tail twitching. "How is she?" he demanded.

"Now would not be the time to see her, Crookedstar," Mudfur soothed. "You will say things you'll regret and she's already beating herself up for it."

Firepaw thought the leader would snap at him, but instead, Crookedstar just sighed. "Fine," he grunted. "Later, then." With a sigh, he turned away from them and padded across camp towards his den. He quickly disappeared inside. After a moment, Silverstream rose and followed.

"She'll soothe him," Mudfur meowed. "He rarely gets this upset, but she's always managed to calm him when he does." He purred a bit. "They're very close."

Firepaw didn't say anything. _What happens now?_ he wondered. _I doubt Thistlestar will… do whatever it is they're supposed to do for killing Sunwhisker. Are we going to battle them again?_

The day crawled by uneventfully, despite the heavy tension in the air. Firepaw remained outside of Mudfur's den. No one came to fetch him or give him orders, and only two patrols went out for the day. It seemed cats would rather wait in camp, in case of the worst.

It wasn't until near sun-down that Crookedstar emerged from his den, Silverstream close behind. He jumped atop the flat stone and let out a yowl.

Most of the Clan was already out, so they quietly drew closer. Firepaw rose and padded across the camp to sit beside Minkpaw and Beechpaw. Minkpaw's eyes looked dull, and her pelt was matted. He felt a pang of sympathy for the molly. _She's still grieving,_ he thought.

"RiverClan," Crookedstar meowed. "As I'm sure you've all heard, our trip to ThunderClan was a failure."

"What about payment for Sunwhisker's death?" Skyheart called.

Crookedstar was quiet a moment. "There will be none," he finally replied. "He treated her death like a joke and taunted us until Dawnwhisker attacked him. He will surely refuse any further talks now."

"Minnow-brain!" Blackclaw hissed.

"Good for her, I say," Sedgecreek huffed.

Crookedstar lashed his tail. "He injured her eye. She will recover, but it's possible she will be half-blind."

Sympathetic murmurs rose from all around.

"We must be vigilant," Crookedstar continued. "I believe they only retreated yesterday because they knew Sunwhisker died. Thistlestar won't be satisfied until he has Sunningrocks again."

"We'll be ready for him!" Weaselfoot declared.

Crookedstar sighed softly. "I'm unsure of the right path," he admitted. "I have decided to travel to the Moonstone and try to consult with our ancestors."

"What if they say nothing?" Frogleap asked.

"Then I will meet with my senior warriors," Crookedstar said. "But Thistlestar allowed a death of our Clanmate in his attack, and he has refused to follow through on the Code and repay us for her loss. If StarClan is angry, they will dream with me."

Many cats seemed to nod at this, as though satisfied with the idea. Firepaw flattened his ears. _What's the Moonstone?_

"Crookedstar," Mudfur meowed, stepping out from his den. "I cannot leave Dawnwhisker in her state. Perhaps it would be wise to bring Yellowfang."

"Yellowfang?" Whiteclaw hissed. "That old bat?"

Crookedstar nodded. "That is another matter I had meant to discuss. Yellowfang is to be conditionally granted a position as RiverClan's second medicine cat."

The Clan, which had been calm only moments ago, erupted with protests. Firepaw crouched down, startled by the sudden shouts and hisses—it was nearly impossible to even tell what any cat was saying.

"Silence!" Crookedstar yowled. "I have made my decision. If Yellowfang proves herself a threat, then she will be appropriately dealt with. _Permanently_. But Mudfur believes that StarClan still shares with her, and that it is proof enough that she is meant to continue her path as a medicine cat." He paused for a few moments. No cat spoke up, but Firepaw easily sensed his Clanmates' irritation. "For now, she is free to travel our territory as she likes." His tone became grave. "We could be on the brink of war," he reminded them. "RiverClan needs all its allies."

_He's right_, Firepaw thought. _Even if they don't like her, they can't say she's useless._

"The younger apprentices will join me on the trip," Crookedstar said. "That means Minkpaw, Grasspaw, and Firepaw. You three should speak to Yellowfang before you go to your nests."

Firepaw blinked. _What?_

Beechpaw nudged him. "Lucky!" he whispered.

"That is all," Crookedstar said. "Dismissed." He jumped back down from the stone.

Firepaw turned to Beechpaw. "Why am I lucky?"

"You might get to dream with StarClan!" Beechpaw said. "Every apprentice goes at least once. I went before Mosspaw, Shadepaw, and Silverpaw were apprenticed."

Minkpaw shrugged half-heartedly. "It's rare that warriors or apprentices share with StarClan," she muttered. "We only go for tradition's sake. It's not like StarClan would tell _apprentices_ something important."

Firepaw frowned. _If it's medicine cats' job to talk to StarClan, why bring apprentices?_ He shook his head. The more he learned about Clan business, the less sense it all seemed to make. He glanced at Minkpaw. "Well… should we go talk to Yellowfang, then?"

Minkpaw wrinkled her nose. "We might as well get it over with."

Firepaw held in a sigh. He didn't want to be insensitive, for he knew his friend was grieving, but he had a feeling the trip tomorrow would be a long one if she remained in this mood. He rose and started to pad back towards Mudfur's den, and after a moment, Minkpaw followed.

When they entered the den, Yellowfang glanced over them. "You're back," she commented. "With company."

"Did you hear Crookedstar's announcement?" Firepaw asked. "You're not under anybody's watch anymore."

Yellowfang only blinked slowly. "I heard him plenty. S'pose that means you're all done with fetching me food, eh?"

Firepaw surprised himself when he shrugged and smiled. "I dunno," he replied. "Maybe I will still if I have the time."

Minkpaw pushed past him. "We're supposed to talk to you about going to the Moonstone tomorrow."

"Yes," Yellowfang nodded. "That."

Dawnwhisker lifted her head. "Crookedstar's visiting the Moonstone… he must really be furious for that."

Yellowfang shook her head, and in a moment of rare gentleness, she drew her thick tail over the molly's flank. "No," she said. "Crookedstar is lost and feels powerless. Watching a warrior get torn apart in an enemy camp is no easy thing for any leader."

Dawnwhisker sighed softly and closed her eye.

Yellowfang coughed slightly and shuffled away from the molly. "Anyhow," she meowed. "We'll start off travelling tomorrow. Likely around sun-high, I suppose. You will not eat at all tomorrow, and you may not hunt on the way there. Eat a meal tonight, sure, but if I catch a whiff of fish on either of you, you're staying here."

Firepaw blinked. "Why's that?"

Yellowfang narrowed her eyes. "It's tradition," she said. "Perhaps you'd better heed this old medicine cat's words this time, boy."

Firepaw flattened his ears. _She _is _mad that I didn't listen to her about the crows!_ He tried to reply, but her glare silenced him.

Yellowfang sniffed. "The walk will be long, but it isn't a hard trip. I suppose we'll have to cross the road, though. That'll be a pain."

"Don't we have to pass through WindClan?" Minkpaw asked. "What if they challenge us?"

Yellowfang snorted. "They wouldn't dare, but I'd gladly tear the nose off any rabbit-chaser that tried!" She flicked her tail. "That's all, I believe. No eating tomorrow and be ready _before_ sun-high. We must arrive there before nightfall, or the trip could be wasted."

Firepaw almost asked why that was, but he thought better of it. _I'll just do as she says,_ he thought, a bit glumly.

Yellowfang turned her gaze back towards the still form of Dawnwhisker. "...It's time for you to go," the old molly meowed. "Dawnwhisker needs rest, and you'd best get a meal before you sleep." She twitched her whiskers. "I'm serious about not eating tomorrow."

Firepaw nodded. "See you tomorrow, then." The molly didn't reply, so Firepaw simply dipped his head and turned to leave.

"I'll see you in the den," Minkpaw muttered.

"Wait," Firepaw said, as she began to pad away. "You're not going to eat?"

"Not hungry," she simply grunted, and picked up her pace to get away from him.

Firepaw frowned. _She must be really upset if she's not going to eat._ He sighed and padded towards Graypool's den. The fresh-kill pile had been moved to be between her den and the Warrior Den, as it was sheltered by a few thick bushes. Firepaw sat to find a piece. _Should I say something to Minkpaw?_ He wondered. _I don't know what I _would _say. She hangs out with Beechpaw and I, but we aren't exactly close._

He plucked out a small fish and ate quickly. He was eager to get to his nest, as he'd hardly been able to rest since the battle yesterday. _At least we aren't leaving early tomorrow,_ he reminded himself. _I'll be able to sleep enough tonight._ When he had finished his meal, he headed for the den.

It was quiet inside. Mosspaw was asleep in her own nest, and nearby, Shadepaw sat beside Minkpaw. Minkpaw was curled up, paws over her nose, while her companion quietly groomed her pelt. Shadepaw glanced up as Firepaw stepped inside.

Shadepaw paused in her grooming and straightened up a bit. "She'll be alright," she said, quietly. "Maybe going to the Moonstone will help her."

Firepaw nodded. "I… I hope so."

Shadepaw was quiet a moment. "It's hard to lose a mother," she said. "But it's happened to most of us."

Firepaw shifted his paws, unsure of how to reply. "I'm sorry," he murmured.

She shook her head. "Don't be." Shadepaw sighed to herself, before she lowered into a crouch beside Minkpaw.

Firepaw stared at her a moment longer before he padded towards his own nest and curled up in it. _Will I dream with StarClan tomorrow? _ He wondered. _Are they really there? I still don't know what to believe… but everyone seems so certain they're real._ He sighed softly and closed his eyes. _Maybe I'll find out tomorrow._


	18. Chapter 16

Firepaw sat beside Grasspaw and Minkpaw near the reeds, tail twitching. All three apprentices looked up as Crookedstar emerged from Mudfur's den, Yellowfang trailing behind him.

Crookedstar stopped in front of them and looked them over. "Everyone ready?" he asked.

Firepaw nodded quickly. His stomach panged uncomfortably with hunger, but he tried to push it down. _It's just one day,_ he told himself.

"I am!" Grasspaw purred. "It's about time we got to go."

Minkpaw only shrugged.

Yellowfang sniffed. "Well, let's be on with it. We need to set a good pace if we're to reach Highstones by dusk."

_Highstones?_ Firepaw thought. He didn't get the chance to ask about it, for Yellowfang quickly padded through the reeds and out of camp. Crookedstar followed, lashing his tail to signal for the others to follow.

They started off by heading upriver. Yellowfang led them at a brisk pace. Despite her age, she didn't slow for a moment. Crookedstar was only a pawstep behind. It seemed neither wanted to chat. Every so often, Grasspaw would comment on the trip or the weather or some duck in the river, but no one said much in return. Minkpaw trailed along at the rear, whiskers drooping.

Grasspaw ended up padding alongside Firepaw, and it only made the tom talk more. Firepaw didn't mind it - if anything, it made the feeling less awkward. He hadn't spent much time with Grasspaw, and he was friendlier than most.

"Do y'think we'll get to dream with StarClan?" Grasspaw asked, twitching his whiskers. "I sure hope we do."

"I still don't think I know much about StarClan to begin with," Firepaw replied. "I know they're supposed to be our ancestors, but… sharing dreams? How's that work?"

Grasspaw shrugged. "I mean, I'm no medicine cat. They send signs to medicine cats, and sometimes dream with them when necessary. They don't reach out much other than the occasional sign, as I understand it, so when we need to see them, we go to the Moonstone."

Firepaw blinked. "You can just… go there to see the ghosts of cats?"

Grasspaw frowned. "Not exactly… it's rare that they're direct. They'll only share dreams with medicine cats and leaders, unless someone else is really important." He just shrugged again. "Dreaming with StarClan isn't really for us to worry about, but wouldn't it be cool if we did?"

Yellowfang cast a glance over her shoulder at them. They were beginning to cross the bridge that spanned the river. "Grasspaw is right," she meowed. "If you have a dream at the Moonstone, it will probably mean something. But that doesn't mean you will have a dream there."

Firepaw stepped onto the stone bridge, feeling just as confused as ever. _I still don't get why we go with if we probably won't see anything._

They continued to follow the river for some time. Firepaw could see what looked like tall stones, far in the distance. _Is that where we're headed?_ He wondered. _It seems so far away. Will we make it in time?_

The river dropped far below them the further they walked. The ground gradually sloped upwards, and the land beyond was hilly, and full of tall, dry grass. Firepaw could scent the WindClan border as they crossed into the moorland, and though entering the territory gave him a pang of nerves, he felt a bit proud that he could recognize their scent.

For a time, it was hard to see far ahead of them. The grass grew well over their heads, blocking out the view of the mountains in the distance. Certain paths had been pressed into the grass, likely by WindClan cats who frequented them, which made the walk a bit easier.

"Their scent is stale here," Crookedstar commented. "There should be a patrol around to notice us, at the very least."

"Are you saying you want those scrawny flea-bags to come yowl at us for trespassing?" Yellowfang asked, sounding almost amused.

"No," Crookedstar repled. "But it worries me. Brokenstar has apparently been aggressive towards them as of late. Lack of patrols may mean they're afraid."

Yellowfang huffed quietly. "It's true that Brokenstar has been pushing the borders…" she muttered. "Perhaps there's been more battles since I escaped."

Firepaw frowned at that. _Why wouldn't they be patrolling?_ he wondered. _Wouldn't that be the best way to keep ShadowClan out?_

They continued on for what felt like ages, and still no WindClan cats confronted them. Firepaw couldn't tell himself how old their scent was, but if it was enough for Crookedstar to point it out, perhaps something was wrong in WindClan.

"I wonder if I made the wrong decision when I said I couldn't spare our help," Crookedstar meowed, quietly.

Yellowfang waited a moment before she replied, "Perhaps StarClan will advise you on that."

"Perhaps."

Eventually, the grass began to shorten, and their path was visible once more. The ground began to gradually slope down again, leading towards a wide road. The stony area Firepaw had seen earlier was a fair distance past it, but they were clearly close. The road seemed busy - cars sped down it in both directions.

Grasspaw's tail bristled nervously at the sight. "That's a big road…" he whispered. "What if the monsters attack us?"

_Monsters?_ Firepaw blinked. "What monsters?"

Yellowfang looked at him like he was daft. "The things the humans get in and run on roads," she said.

"Oh," Firepaw replied. He twitched his whiskers. "They're not monsters, they're cars."

Crookedstar paused in his walking to glance back at Firepaw. He looked interested. "They're what?"

"Cars," Firepaw repeated. "That's the word for them." He lifted his chin a bit as Crookedstar inclined his head curiously. "They're not as scary as they look," he said. "They stay in the lines of the road. Sometimes they'll run animals over, but half the time they'll try to get out of your way or will stop."

Crookedstar blinked. "Is that so?" he sounded genuinely surprised.

"How do you know so much about them?" Minkpaw asked. It was the first thing she'd said since they had left camp.

Firepaw puffed out his chest, feeling quite proud. "My human had one, when I was a kittypet," he said. "I had to go inside it a few times. It's loud and bumpy and awful, but it didn't kill me."

Even Yellowfang looked impressed. "Hm!" she snorted softly. "Perhaps you're not as cowardly as your kittypet kin."

Crookedstar nodded at that and led the way down the hill.

Firepaw grinned and followed, Grasspaw and Minkpaw close behind him. It felt good to know more than the Clanborn cats, for once. They hurried along until they reached the very edge of the road. There was a short ditch along either side, providing them a little cover from the rush of wind left by the racing cars. Crookedstar watched down one end, waiting for a gap in the lane closest to them.

Finally, there was a brief pause in the oncoming cars. "Go!" Crookedstar ordered, as he launched himself from the ditch. All scrambled to follow. The road was rough on Firepaw's pads, but he knew that on a road like this, cars wouldn't stop so often for a few running cats. He pushed himself to keep pace with the group as they raced to the center of the road and stopped, panting.

Cars rushed at them from the other side. There was a break in the middle, where they stood, where no cars ran. It allowed them a moment to take a breath as they waited for an opening again. Once more, Crookedstar called for them to run when there were no cars close enough to hit them, and they charged all the way across.

They halted in the ditch on the other side. Firepaw panted heavily. _It's been a while since I've had to run like that,_ he thought. His pads ached, but with a bit of investigation, it seemed they hadn't been cut up.

Crookedstar glanced up towards the sky. The sun was lower in the sky, but it had yet to begin to truly set. "I think we can rest for a bit," he said. "But let's get away from the road. It's rancid here."

Yellowfang wrinkled her nose. "Agreed," she huffed. "We're nearly there, anyway."

Firepaw peered over the top of the ditch to check the horizon. The tall stones were much closer now. The way ahead was flat, grassy, and dotted with trees. _Looks like an easy walk for the rest of the way, at least._

They left the ditch and headed for the shade of a nearby oak tree. They all flopped down to rest, and Grasspaw set to grooming himself. "I can still smell the road on me!" he exclaimed, before he began his work.

Minkpaw just laid down and narrowed her eyes to slits. She gave no indication of if she were tired or sore. Firepaw frowned. _I'm still not sure exactly what's going to happen at the Moonstone, _he thought. _But I hope it helps her._

"Hmm…" Yellowfang twitched her whiskers thoughtfully. "Suppose I could tell a story to pass the time."

Crookedstar shook his head. "A ShadowClan story?" he scoffed, though he sounded almost playful. "Those are so depressing."

She flattened her ears, but Firepaw caught her eyes glittering with rare humor. "They're _cautionary_," she retorted. "But if you object, why don't _you_ tell one?"

Grasspaw glanced up from washing his tail. "Oh, yes!" he purred. "I love Crookedstar's stories."

Crookedstar let out a purr. "Why not?" He tapped his tail against the ground and looked thoughtful. "Hmm… let's see. Perhaps I'll tell one about one of the great cats?"

"Overrated," Yellowfang muttered. "Every kit knows those. Tell the one about the Widow."

_I don't, _Firepaw thought, but he didn't say anything. _But I guess I don't know about the 'widow' either._

Minkpaw pricked her ears. "I heard Graypool talking about that once. What is it?"

Crookedstar shrugged. "Perhaps you _should_ tell it, then. It's better for a teller of your Clan."

Yellowfang cleared her throat. "Well… I suppose Crookedstar is right, for it is a more… cautionary tale. We usually pass it on to queens, but I hear in other Clans they'll tell it to toms when they enter a relationship."

"Why's that?" Grasspaw asked.

Yellowfang huffed. "Listen and you'll find out." She shifted her paws and leaned back a bit. "There was once a young ThunderClan molly. Her name has been wiped from history, to prevent her cursed spirit from causing us more pain, so we simply call her the Widow. She was young and pretty—and a fierce warrior, too. She had the respect of her leader and senior warriors despite her lack of experience. Unbeknownst to them, however, she had struck up an affair with a RiverClan tom, and met him in secret."

"The trouble was that their Clans were in a period of extreme tension. They were fighting over your Sunningrocks nearly every few days. Despite their love, they never let it still their claws in battle—and perhaps they could have carried on in secret for moons if not for the kits. The Widow became expectant right around the time her leader's son was accidentally killed by her mate in battle. She knew she could never come clean about the father of her kits now, so she chose to keep the father a secret, as is a queen's right. However, one way or another, it became assumed that her kits were sired by the deceased leader's son. She did nothing to dispel the belief, as she figured it would do no harm for his kin to believe he had passed his strength down in the Clan."

Yellowfang paused there and checked the sky again. "I should tell it as we walk," she grunted. "We'll be here all evening if we sit around."

"You're right," Crookedstar meowed. "Come on, then." He stood up and waited for the others to do the same before he turned and padded off, heading towards the tall stones.

Yellowfang rose and followed before she continued in her story. The apprentices stuck close to her as she spoke. "She informed her mate of their future kits, and though he was delighted, they agreed it would be best to stop meeting until after the kits were old enough to walk around. They figured they could still keep their secret, even if the kits knew who their real father was."

Minkpaw snorted. "They sound like minnow-brains," she replied, dryly.

"Well, you're right," Yellowfang chuckled. "It was stupid. But they agreed anyway. The Widow returned to her Clan and moved into the nursery. She soon had three healthy, beautiful kits, and her Clan was joyful. They all bought her unintentional lie and believed they were their leader's grandchildren. No one _wanted_ to believe otherwise. They certainly didn't look entirely like he had, but no one was taking the time to scrutinize the kits' appearances. It wasn't until they started to leave the nursery and explore camp that cats began to pick up on things. They had rounder faces than their Clanmates, silkier pelts, and their build was simply off. Even still, cats didn't say a word until their medicine cat began to study them closely, and received signs from StarClan that led him towards the river. When he finally followed the subtle directions, he found them all at Sunningrocks with their real father, for the Widow had decided it was time to introduce them all."

The rocky terrain was growing ever closer. The sun was beginning to set ahead of them, and bright orange slowly began to seep across the sky as it began its descent down behind the steed, rugged land ahead.

"The Widow was horrified to have been caught. She begged the medicine cat not to turn her in, saying she had done no harm and was giving her Clan healthy kits. Her mate swore that his Clan didn't know of their existence. The kits wailed, still too young to be out of camp and overwhelmed by the fighting. The medicine cat finally said that she would have to face the Clan's judgement, and that StarClan had willed him to find them here. He left quickly, and when she returned to camp with her children, the word had already been spread across camp. Cats hissed and cursed at her. Their leader looked upon her with disgust—these kits were no longer kin to him. She had hardly been in camp for a heartbeat when her Clanmates called for her exile. She begged for her friends and family to speak up in her defense, but all turned their backs on her. Perhaps, if there had been less struggle with RiverClan, her punishment would have been less severe. They cast her kits out with her, too, for this was well before there were laws in place to forbid such endangerment of young."

Firepaw frowned. "That's awful," he said. "Throwing her out is harsh, but kits?"

Crookedstar nodded solemnly. "They say this story is one of the reasons that the parts of the code forbidding harm against kits was started."

Yellowfang cleared her throat. "She ran off into the woods, but she could only travel so fast with her kits. She had hoped to make it to RiverClan, but nightfall came, and her kits were already exhausted. They found shelter, still in ThunderClan land, and slept for the night. They awoke to rain, which steadily turned into a full-force storm. Still, the Widow urged her kits on, promising a new home and a warm den if they only walked a little farther. They made it to the river, which was dark and churning from the downpour." She paused, and slowed down in her walking until she came to a halt completely. "Well," she meowed. "We're here."

Firepaw stared blankly ahead. The land before them sloped upwards sharply, and it looked like climbing it would be no easy feat. Hardly any grass grew along it, and the ground was packed and dry underpaw. After a moment, though, he spotted it—the dark, open mouth of a cave, just at the bottom of the slope. It wasn't too big—probably about the size of two cats' height and threes' length wide—and he could barely see inside it.

"This is the Mothermouth," Yellowfang meowed. "Where all cats were first born. Beyond this, are the mountains, the final border that has kept out unspeakable beasts for generations."

_Mountains,_ Firepaw thought. _That's what this is called_.

"Now what?" Grasspaw asked.

"Now we wait," Yellowfang replied. "Until the sun is fully set." She found a spot near the opening and sat down. "Now… where was I?"

"They had made it to the river," Firepaw reminded her.

"Ah," Yellowfang nodded and briefly cleared her throat. "Well, the river was certainly in no condition for them to cross, but the Widow believed she had no choice, as her former Clanmates wouldn't hesitate to attack her if she was caught still on the territory. She urged her kits along, promising they would be safe, and though they protested, they followed. Her kits were swept away from her in the river, and though she tried to save them, they were carried downstream and drowned. A RiverClan patrol found her wailing desperately for help on their side of the river. She begged them to take her and her kits in, and told them that they were sired by a RiverClan warrior. The kits, however, were found far downriver, dead, and RiverClan had no sympathy for an enemy warrior who got her kits killed in the river. They chased her off without so much as allowing her to bury her kits."

"That's terrible!" Grasspaw said. "What happened to her mate?"

Yellowfang shrugged. "Nothing. Though he had betrayed his Clanmates and was likely punished somehow, they figured he no longer had any ties to ThunderClan and wasn't going to be a risk. The Widow, however, grew bitter in her exile. She dreamed only of her kits, saw only them die over and over again in the river. Over time, she came to blame her Clanmates and RiverClan. She believed that ThunderClan had wronged her, and that RiverClan, but more so her mate, had allowed her kits to die. She hatched a plan for revenge - first on her former Clanmates, and then on her mate."

"She started with the medicine cat. He, after all, had been the one to betray her secrets to ThunderClan. She waited for days near a patch of herbs he often browsed, and when he finally came to collect supplies, she tore out his throat and left him for the crows. The Widow retreated back to the outskirts of the territory, but when no cats came to find her, she grew bold and struck again."

"This time, it was the leader's daughter she attacked. That molly had been the one to assume from the start that her brother was the Widow's mate, and she had cost the Widow everything by convincing the whole Clan of it. The Widow lured her to snake-infested rocks, where she was bitten by an adder and died an agonizing death."

"For her third attack, she waited hardly a day before returning. Her target was the leader - he, after all, had banished her, which led to the death of her kits. He would be no easy feat, for he rarely left camp alone. Instead, she planned to draw the Clan out in search of _her_. She found a wandering apprentice and slaughtered him easily, then dragged the poor thing halfway across the territory to create a trail. She disguised her scent later in wild garlic and hid out, close enough to camp to observe the comings and goings. Once the Clan had discovered the body, patrols were sent out throughout the territory to track her down. This, however, left the camp largely unprotected, and she slipped back inside. She attacked the leader in his own den, and though she was a fearsome fighter, he could hold his own against her. It wasn't long before the cats in camp realized what was happening and rushed to defend him. She was attacked by her former Clanmates, and she barely tore off with her life."

"Did the leader survive?" Grasspaw asked.

Yellowfang nodded. "Yes. She tore him up with all the rage a mother has, but he made it out well enough. She fled to RiverClan once more, still bleeding from her last fight. Here, she waited for a patrol. Though she was furious with her mate, she decided she could put that aside if only they would take pity on her and take her in this time. When a patrol found her, she spun a tale of lies about how her Clanmates had attacked her unprovoked time and time again, and that she wanted nothing more than shelter from them. The patrol, uncertain, decided they could at least take her back to camp for their own leader to judge."

"It didn't go well. She ran into her mate the moment they entered camp, and he demanded to know what she was doing in his Clan. She repeated the same lie about her Clan, and he spurned her, saying that it was her fault their kits were dead. In his fury, he slipped, and admitted that he had found a new love in his own Clan."

"She flew at him in a rage, shrieking. She had lost her Clan and her kits, and her mate had betrayed her twice - once for not speaking up to take her in, and now for taking a new molly by his side. It was a mistake. His Clanmates pulled her from him, but not after she had struck a fatal blow. Without waiting for orders, they ripped into her until she was left a bloody, mangled mess. Both cats died that day. Though the Widow had died, she had her revenge, and one would think that she would rest knowing this."

"But?" Minkpaw asked. "That can't be it."

Yellowfang nodded. "No, you're right. It isn't. When we die, our souls are led into StarClan to rest at Silverpelt's side. But for evil cats, those who cast pain into the world when they lived, remain here. Their souls fade into dust until they are gone completely. Some, however, who are particularly hateful, wander the land, still desperate to kill and harm. The Widow is one of these souls. She haunts cats she deems deserving - among toms, she stalks those who are unfaithful to their mates. She follows them and breathes down their necks, whispering in their ears, infesting their dreams, until she drives them to madness. Of mollies, she loathes queens who do not appreciate their kits. If she finds a mother to be neglectful or cruel to her children, she torments them without relenting, outraged that another mother wouldn't care for their kits when she hadn't had the chance with her own." Yellowfang shuffled her paws. "She is said to be the cause of expectant queens going mad and eating their newborns, and whether she foresees that they would be unfit, or if she is simply jealous, we simply do not know."

_Queens eating their own kits?_ Firepaw shuddered at the thought. _Is that a real thing?_

Crookedstar twitched his tail. "The story is often passed on by elders to expecting queens or toms pursuing mollies. It's meant to caution them both from acting poorly."

Minkpaw was quiet for a moment, before she asked, "Can she really be all that bad, though?" She asked. "I mean… the murdering was awful. But if she haunts unfaithful cats and cruel mothers… maybe her being a trapped spirit is a good thing."

Yellowfang snorted softly and shrugged. "I'm not here to pass judgement on spirits in stories, girl," she replied. "But it's something to think about."

The sun was now fully set, and it was growing darker by the minute. Yellowfang let out a sigh and stood. "Let's get going. Everything will be ready soon. The Mothermouth will be dark, and the path gets narrow, but stick to the cat in front of you and you'll reach the Moonstone just fine." Without waiting for questions, she turned and padded inside the cave, and vanished into the dark cavern. Crookedstar dipped his head to the apprentices before he followed suit.

"C'mon!" Grasspaw purred. "Last one in is a rotten egg." He hurried along after them.

Firepaw chuckled, and Minkpaw just rolled her eyes. She went in first , and Firepaw took a breath before he padded in.

Everything was plunged into darkness as they descended into the cave.


	19. Chapter 17

Firepaw couldn't see a thing in front of him. Occasionally, Grasspaw's tail brush his nose, and he could feel Minkpaw's breath on his own tail behind him, but it was pitch black. First, the ground had just been moist earth, but they were walking down what felt like solid, cold stone. The tunnel narrowed as they went deeper, and it wasn't long before Firepaw's whiskers brushed along both sides of the cave.

He swallowed back his growing sense of nervousness. He could smell the anxiety from Grasspaw and Minkpaw as well, and it did nothing to help him. The tunnel was simply _eerie_, and there was no other way to go.

He wasn't sure how long they had been walking down when the Mothermouth began to widen again. Firepaw breathed out a sigh of relief as he no longer felt his whiskers dragging along the sides of the tunnel. Feeling that cramped was unpleasant for any cat.

Suddenly, the tunnel widened immensely, and it wasn't a tunnel at all anymore. They were in a large, open cavern, just barely illuminated by light from above. What seemed to be a gigantic, opaque rock sat dead in the center of the cave. Firepaw glanced up to search for the source of the light. Far up, at the very roof of the cavern, was a hole that allowed the faintest bit of starlight through. It was enough for the cats' vision to make out the cavern, and it was relieving to have their sight back.

"This is it," Yellowfang murmured. "The Moonstone." She padded over towards it, filled by Crookedstar, and sat down. "It's not ready yet."

The apprentices all padded after them. "What do you mean?" Firepaw asked.

Yellowfang gave a rare smile. "You'll see." She flicked her tail. "Come. Sit around the stone."

"What exactly _is_ the Moonstone?" Firepaw asked. He found a place beside Minkpaw to sit. The Moonstone lay in front of him, cold and massive.

It was Crookedstar that answered. "It was dropped into the Mothermouth by Silverpelt, mother of all cats. She lives in the sky, surrounding the world. She watches over us with her eyes, the sun and the moon, and when we die, we join StarClan and become stars in her pelt."

"There's not a perfect agreement of what exactly the Moonstone is and how Silverpelt created it," Yellowfang added. "But we at least all agree it's a concentrated piece of her powers. It was in this cave that the first cats, the Great cats, were born. They joined the world by leaving through the Mothermouth, and cleansed the territories of evil beasts. We descended from them, eventually, and made our own Clans."

_Graypool mentioned them in her story about the Clans, _Firepaw recalled.

Gradually, more light shone down into the cave. It was a slow process, but the moon eventually shifted into view overhead, and as it's light hit the Moonstone, the stone began to glow. It lit up slowly, and wasn't all that bright, but it was still a beautiful sight.

"This is what we were waiting for," Yellowfang purred. "Now, settle down beside the stone. Press your nose to it. Allow yourselves to sleep." She was the first to lower into a crouch, and she pressed her flat muzzle to the surface of the stone. Crookedstar moved to do the same.

Firepaw exchanged a perplexed look with Grasspaw. The other tom shrugged before he too lay down and touched his nose to the Moonstone. Firepaw crouched down, and hesitated a moment before he leaned in and pressed his nose to the stone.

A freezing jolt shot through his body, as though he had been suddenly submerged into icy water. He couldn't move or cry out, and only managed to clench his eyes shut in reaction. Everything snapped into darkness.

* * *

Blind and mostly deaf, Firepaw nuzzled closer to the warm milk-scent. It was the only scent that mattered, the one that belonged to his mother. He would crawl over his siblings that he had yet to see with little regard for where his paws went if it meant he would reach the milk. It was all he knew, all he needed.

Firepaw blinked his eyes open. He was a bigger kit now, just large enough to tottle around without falling over with every step he took. He let out a plaintive, wordless mew. He was alone in this room of the house, with no sight of his mother or littermates. No mother came running, so he cried and cried again. When she did not poke her head in the doorway with his forth call, he sneezed softly and began to stumble out of the room, determined to find her himself. He was hungry, and he would have his milk if he had to go hunt down his mother himself.

"Mama!" he wailed. Not even his mother's human came to see what the matter was. Frustrated, the little tom did his best to hurry down the hallway and into the larger room. There was his mother, back turned to him. She was leaning down, and from the sound of it, she was washing another kit.

"Mama!" he called. "Mama!" He padded closer to her. "I'm hungry, Mama!"

Slowly, she turned to face him. Her chin and chest were covered in blood. She had a vacant look in her eye. "Not now, Rusty," she meowed. "Your siblings need to be washed."

Firepaw was chilled at the sight of the blood on her. He looked past her, to where his littermates sat. They were each covered in blood, and they poked and prodded at their mother to demand she rid them of the mess. His stomach swirled with disgust.

It was then he felt something warm and wet slowly lap at his own paws. He stared down. Blood had pooled on the floor, and it was spreading across the room. "Mama!" he shrieked.

"Rusty," his mother scolded. "Your littermates made a mess. You can have your meal after I clean them."

* * *

Firepaw jolted away from the Moonstone. His heart was racing, and bile was rising in his throat. The dream felt so real, and he took a moment to stare down at his paws to ensure that they hadn't been soaked in blood.

All save for Crookedstar were already awake and sitting up. Yellowfang stared at him, eyes narrowed, and he wondered if she somehow already knew of his dream.

Grasspaw let out a yawn. "StarClan, now I'm _really_ tired! How long were we asleep?"

"It's nearly dawn," Yellowfang meowed. "Crookedstar should be awake by now. I'm not sure why—" She stopped as the tom blinked his eyes open and pulled away from the rock. "Well. Nevermind, I suppose."

_Dawn? _Firepaw thought. _I feel like we were only here a moment._

Crookedstar was quiet as he straightened up. His eyes were narrowed, and his pelt bristled in the slightest. It was clear he was concerned or confused, though perhaps it was both.

_What did he see? _Firepaw wondered. _If it was anything like my dream, it must have been weird._ He could still nearly smell his mother's milk.

Yellowfang watched the leader for a few moments before speaking. "Perhaps we should head back," she suggested.

Crookedstar blinked slowly. "...Yes," he replied. "Yes, we… we should." He took a breath and stood. "Let's be on our way."

Yellowfang nodded, before she glanced towards the apprentices. "You can hunt on the way home," she said. "Your fasting is over."

As though on cue, Firepaw's stomach twisted painfully with hunger. Grasspaw let out a loud sigh of relief. "I'm starved!" he meowed. "I even dreamed that I was fishing."

Minkpaw, who had been quiet, smiled softly. "I saw Sunwhisker," she said. "I didn't get to talk to her, but… I think she's at peace."

Grasspaw purred softly and butted his head against her shoulder. "That's good," he meowed.

"StarClan shows what they want you to see," Yellowfang meowed. "Now, let's leave. I'd like to get another look at Dawnwhisker's eye before next season."

Firepaw frowned. _Was my dream really sent by StarClan?_ he wondered. _Why would they show me that?_

Yellowfang rose and headed for the Mothermouth. Firepaw swallowed, not quite eager to make the return trip up the dark and narrow tunnel. Minkpaw hurried after her, a sudden spring in her step, and Grasspaw was quick to follow his sister. Firepaw watched them a moment before he too padded towards the Mothermouth.

_Could StarClan really be real?_ He thought. _Sometimes dreams are just dreams, but… I don't know. There was something serious about it._

Firepaw tried to shake the unsettling dream from his mind. For now, he needed to focus on getting out of the tunnel and returning home. Odd dreams could wait.


	20. Chapter 18

By the time they emerged from the Mothermouth, the sun was rising in the distance. The warmth on Firepaw's whiskers was a pleasant feeling after the cold, dank cavern, and they all took a moment to bask in the sunrise before Crookedstar led them onward.

This time, it was Grasspaw and Minkpaw who chatted, while Firepaw fell to the rear. Whatever Minkpaw had dreamed about her mother, it seemed to have cheered her up greatly. Firepaw, on the other hand, couldn't push the discomfort of his own dream away. He could still smell the blood that had covered the den - and his littermates.

Yellowfang gradually slowed her pace until she was walking alongside him. The flat-faced molly studied him for a moment as they walked, until Firepaw blinked and asked, "What? You've been staring at me like I sprouted antlers."

Yellowfang coughed out a harsh laugh before shaking her head. "Let's slow down. I can tell you need to talk."

Firepaw's pelt bristled slightly with discomfort, but he nodded and paused in his walking until the others were quite a few paces ahead. _I'm sure she's still angry about the whole thing with the crows, _he thought. _Why does she want to talk?_

"You dreamed," Yellowfang meowed. It wasn't a question, but a matter-of-fact statement. "Tell me what it was."

_How does she know?_ "It was nothing," Firepaw mumbled.

Yellowfang narrowed her eyes. "Don't lie to me, boy. I can tell something is bothering you, and it can only be whatever you dreamed about. My _duty_ is to—"

"Fine," Firepaw sharply replied. "I dreamed that I was a kit again, except when I went to find my mother for milk, she was cleaning blood off of my littermates, and blood was spreading across the floor. That's it. Just a weird nightmare."

Yellowfang continued to stare at him. She had a deadly serious look to her, and Firepaw got the feeling the ragged molly didn't believe it was 'just' a nightmare. "Were they injured and bloody? Dead?"

"No…" Firepaw replied. He flattened his ears as he tried to recall. "It didn't seem like they were hurt. Just demanding she clean them."

"Hm." Yellowfang looked back up ahead. "I see." she fell quiet for a few moments, before she added, "Tell me immediately if you have more dreams like this."

"Okay," Firepaw said. "I still think it was just a nightmare, though."

"Like you thought the crows were just an old hag's superstitions?" Yellowfang retorted.

Firepaw flinched. _There it is._ He sighed softly. "I'm sorry," he said. "I just don't know anything about signs like that. And I _did_ mention it to Leopardfur, but she didn't think it was important."

Yellowfang heaved out a tired sigh. "I'm not angry with you," she admitted. "Truth be told, I'm more angry at myself. I should have said something more. That could have been you rather than Sunwhisker, and, well… I _suppose_ I've grown the slightest bit fond of you."

Firepaw wasn't sure what to say to that. After a moment's hesitation, he murmured, "Thanks."

Yellowfang coughed. "Well. Again, tell me if you have another dream like that. Dreams at the Moonstone usually _do_ mean something… though I'm not sure Grasspaw's fishing had to do with anything other than his own hunger."

Firepaw purred at that. She sounded eager to change the subject, and he understood - this sort of talk wasn't something Yellowfang did often, and she was clearly feeling awkward.

"I wonder what Minkpaw's dream was like," Firepaw meowed. "She sure seems cheerful."

Yellowfang scoffed. "I've hardly known that molly for any time, but I get the sense she's _hardly_ a cheery gal."

Firepaw chuckled. "No, I guess not. She's nice enough, though."

They fell into a more comfortable silence. The air was clear between them, and it felt like a weight had been lifted off of Firepaw's shoulders.

* * *

The trek back was uneventful. They traveled at a slower pace than they had on the way to the Moonstone, so it was getting into the evening by the time they reached camp again.

Firepaw had planned on heading into Mudfur's den to see how Dawnwhisker was faring, but he noticed that Crookedstar made a beeline for the flat stone that he spoke from, so the apprentice halted in the center of camp.

Crookedstar wasted no time in leaping atop the stone and letting out a yowl. Those in camp hurried to gather around. Crookedstar sat down and quickly scanned the Clan. He frowned.

Firepaw glanced around himself. It didn't take long to notice there were a good number of cats missing—Leopardfur was nowhere to be seen, and neither were Weaselfoot, Beetleclaw, Skyheart, Blackclaw, Frogleap, or Whiteclaw. Firepaw checked around again for his fellow apprentices. Both Silverpaw and Beechpaw were missing as well.

Crookedstar's eyes narrowed. "Where is everyone?"

Silverstream stood and padded close to the stone. She said something to him, quietly, and Crookedstar's eyes widened. "_What_?!" he snarled.

"Father, I'm sorry—" Silverstream meowed, ears flat. "I tried to stop them, but they were worked up and angry—"

Crookedstar cut her off with a snarl. "—And their leader just happened to be missing from camp to order them to stop!"

Minkpaw sidled up to Firepaw. "What's going on?" she whispered.

"I have no clue," Firepaw muttered. "But it sounds bad."

Crookedstar bristled from neck to tail tip. He swung his head around, glaring from side to side, as though unsure of where to direct his sudden rage. "So—" he snarled. "If I understand my daughter correctly, half of your Clanmates up and left to assault ThunderClan without my orders?"

_What?_ Firepaw thought. He glanced at Minkpaw. "They… they can't do that, right?"

Minkpaw's eyes were narrowed. "It sounds as though they've already done it."

"First it was just Beetleclaw…" Sedgecreek explained. "He was in a rage after you left. Got himself all worked up about Sunwhisker again, said that he wouldn't let his kits be next…"

"I tried to talk my brother down," Voleclaw sighed. "But then Frogleap started agreeing, and suddenly everyone was shouting about it, and Leopardfur rounded up all those in favor and stormed off with them." He shuffled his paws uncomfortably. "They left well after sun-high."

Crookedstar thought on this for a few moments. His tail whipped about, but the rest of him was still as stone. Finally, he nodded to himself. "Fine. They will have to return eventually. There's hardly anything to do about it now." He jumped down from the stone. "Someone notify me immediately when you see a hair of them. I'll be in my den." With that, he stormed off, Silverstream close behind.

Firepaw wasn't sure what to think. "What do you think Crookedstar will do?" he asked Minkpaw. "I mean, I'm still learning, but… that doesn't seem like something they can just _do_."

"You'd be right," Minkpaw muttered. "I understand why they would, but… if anything, it's just going to make things worse. Crookedstar clearly had something to say, but… it seems that hardly matters now."

Firepaw hesitated a moment before he asked, "Would you have gone? To attack ThunderClan?"

Minkpaw's frown deepened. "I'd like to think I wouldn't have," she said. "But… I don't know. If Leopardfur decided to risk her position like that, she must have thought there was some merit to it. Would you?"

Firepaw shrugged. "I don't know either. Even if I wanted to, I probably would have been too afraid. Thistlestar terrifies me."

Minkpaw nodded. "Yeah. I always forget."

Firepaw shifted his paws. He glanced towards Crookedstar's den. "What do we do now?"

Minkpaw sighed. "The only thing we can do is wait."


	21. Chapter 19

The sun had set when Leopardfur and the other RiverClan cats returned. Firepaw was eating just outside the apprentices' den when he heard the border reeds rustling and low voices from within them.

"Crookedstar is furious," he heard Voleclaw inform Leopardfur.

Leopardfur kept a level gaze with the large tom. Without so much as a word or even a grunt, she stepped past him and continued into camp. Others filed in behind her—all bedraggled and bloody.

Firepaw gulped quickly, nearly choking on his mouthful of carp. _They really attacked ThunderClan,_ he thought. _I hope everyone's okay, at least._

Sedgecreek hurried for Crookedstar's den. She returned outside a moment later, the leader behind her.

Crookedstar fixed Leopardfur with a furious glare. He was bristling from nose to tail tip. "Get. Over. Here. _Now_."

To Leopardfur's credit, she didn't show a trace of fear or anxiety. Her expression was cool and composed as ever. "You're back," she commented.

"What exactly did you _think_ would happen?" Crookedstar demanded. "Did you think you would all sneak out to ThunderClan and make it back, then keep it a secret you had attacked them without my orders?"

Cats began to creep out from the Warriors' Den and Nursery to observe. The others who had left exchanged glances, but no one said a word. It was clear the issue was between leader and deputy.

"Not really," Leopardfur replied. Her voice remained even. "But what would you have me do? I had two warriors raving about attacking an enemy Clan. Beetleclaw decided he would fight with or without my permission." She flicked an ear. "If I had left him and Frogleap to their own devices, they would have singlehandedly gotten themselves both killed and RiverClan would be shamed. What kind of Clan would we look like if neither leader nor deputy had given them orders to fight?"

Firepaw listened, his meal forgotten. He had never heard Leopardfur speak at such length—she was a cat of few words, but it was clear she had thought through her reasoning.

Crookedstar parted his jaws, but the tom was clearly caught off-guard by her composed reply. After a moment, he curled his lip. "Either way," he snarled. "You allowed—no, _encouraged_—an attack against a strong enemy, all while I was consulting our ancestors for guidance on our next steps against them. You could have confined them to a den, punished them—"

Leopardfur cut him off. "—And we would still have two enraged warriors fighting off their own Clanmates to get revenge for the death of Sunwhisker."

Beetleclaw took a step towards them. "Crookedstar, let me explain—"

Crookedstar jerked his gaze in the warrior's direction. "_You—_" he spat. "Do _not_ speak. You will be punished, be sure of that. Frogleap, too."

Frogleap only bowed his head, but Beetleclaw narrowed his eyes defiantly. "I am a senior warrior," he growled. "I am the son of Hailstar. I—"

"You are neither leader nor deputy," Crookedstar snapped. "Yet you have been a thorn in my side since before either of us were warriors. But _never_ have you shown such blatant disregard for my leadership, for the warrior code, or for the safety of your Clanmates!" Crookedstar's tail lashed. "You want to fight for your kits, but your foolishness will get them _killed _if this leads to war!"

Beetleclaw flinched. "Crookedstar…"

"Enough," Crookedstar growled. "Go to Mudfur's den and get yourself cleaned up." He turned back to Leopardfur. "As for you, I will be seriously reconsidering your position as deputy."

Now Leopardfur's eyes darkened with anger. "I did the best I could considering the situation," she growled. "I either let a couple fools run off to their deaths and make it clear neither of us have a grasp on our warriors, or make a show of unity and fight. But this is all _irrelevant_."

Crookedstar's scowl only deepened. "How, exactly, is this 'irrelevant'?"

"Because ShadowClan was already attacking them when we arrived," Leopardfur said.

Firepaw blinked. _What are the odds of that?_

Crookedstar looked surprised. His look of anger began to fade. "They what?"

Leopardfur nodded. "I would have pulled our warriors out quickly if it was just ThunderClan. But their Clan was in the middle of a battle when we reached their ravine. You didn't see how they fought—they were attacking _queens_. I saw a cat drag a _kit _from the nursery and kill it."

_That's horrible!_ Firepaw sat up quickly. _How could any cat do that? _His stomach swirled at the thought.

Crookedstar grew very quiet. "My dream was right… I was warned we had a greater enemy than ThunderClan."

Leopardfur's tail twitched. "The thing was, I couldn't recognize half the cats fighting for ShadowClan. They didn't smell like them, either. They're recruiting _rogues _and getting them to kill. The ShadowClan warriors fought as any other warrior would, but the rogues… they were ripping apart nests, going for killing bites… I don't think ThunderClan's medicine cat survived, either."

_Rogues fighting for ShadowClan?_ Firepaw thought. _But why? _

"Spottedleaf is dead?" Crookedstar asked. He let out a sigh, then fell silent for a few moments. "How did the battle end?"

"ShadowClan eventually retreated," Leopardfur said. "ThunderClan are mange-pelts, but they know how to fight. Brokenstar promised me he would do the same to us if we didn't 'fall in line'. I assume he's decided to extend his demand for hunting rights to other Clans."

Crookedstar looked uncertain. Leopardfur's news had clearly caught him off guard. "Did Thistlestar say anything to you?"

Leopardfur shrugged. "We all… more or less left the reason for our appearance unspoken. Even he wouldn't have insulted us for helping, regardless of the fact that we intended to attack them." She twitched her whiskers. "He did say he might pay us a visit. It didn't sound like there was a threat implied."

"I see," Crookedstar replied. "Well. Tomorrow I will call together the senior warriors and we will discuss this matter. For now, you all need to see Mudfur or Yellowfang." He fixed Frogleap with a hard stare. "Neither you nor Beetleclaw are to leave camp until I decide on your punishment."

Frogleap had the decency to look ashamed and nod silently. The tabby tom quietly crept away towards the medicine cats' den.

Crookedstar flicked his tail. "I suppose that's all. Go get some rest." The large tom turned and retreated back to his den.

Firepaw watched as the patrol slowly made their way to Mudfur's den. He caught a glimpse of Beechpaw and Silverpaw at the back of the group, so he abandoned his meal and rose to pad towards them.

Beechpaw twitched his whiskers in greeting. "Hey," he meowed. "How was the trip?"

"Seriously?" Firepaw replied, eyes wide. "You went off to fight ThunderClan and you want to know how _my_ trip was?"

Silverpaw glared at him. "Go away, kittypet. You're bothering the _real_ warriors."

Firepaw scoffed. "_You're_ not even a warrior, Silverpaw." He flicked his tail dismissively and looked back to Beechpaw. Silverpaw curled his lip and turned his back to the pair pointedly.

Beechpaw rolled his eyes. "I didn't really _decide_ to go, I just got dragged along. It was crazy, though. Who would've thought ShadowClan wanted to attack them at the same time we did?"

Firepaw shrugged. "It seems really weird." He frowned and lowered his voice. "Is it true they were killing kits?"

Beechpaw sighed. "I didn't see it, but apparently so. I'd like to get my claws on the mange-pelt who did."

Firepaw unsheathed his claws for a moment. "So would I."

Beechpaw let out a yawn and arched his back in a stretch. "StarClan, I can't wait to sleep. I'm beat."

In the excitement of everything, Firepaw had nearly forgotten his own exhaustion from the trek to Highstones. "Me too. You coming to the den after you see Mudfur?"

Beechpaw nodded. "You bet. See you there?"

"Sure." Firepaw turned away with a flick of his tail and headed back across camp towards the apprentice's den. He ducked inside. Firepaw quickly headed for his nest, circled around it a few times, and let out a soft sigh as he settled down in it. _I want to sleep for a moon, _ he thought.

Grasspaw's voice made him open his eyes. "Hey, Firepaw?"

Firepaw lifted his head. Grasspaw was sitting alone in the back of the den. He looked a bit nervous—the apprentice's tail kept twitching. "Yeah, Grasspaw?"

"I… I wanted to ask you something," Grasspaw meowed. "It's… er, it's about me."

Firepaw frowned. He rolled over in his nest to face him. "What's up?"

"I - well, I… I wanted to ask if you could call me 'she' from now on." Grasspaw's eyes darted to the side.

Firepaw blinked, feeling a bit confused. "What?"

"You know…" Grasspaw's ears flattened. "Instead of 'he'. I… sort of lied about my dream… I didn't dream about hunting. I met some cat and we talked and, well… she made me think I could actually do it. Not be a tom anymore. And then I was talking to Minkpaw about it and _she_ said there's this cat over in ThunderClan that's a tom even though he wasn't one when he was a kit and I think he's one of Sandpaw's fathers or something and even Thistlestar's son wasn't born a tom and…" Grasspaw shook himself a bit. "Now I'm rambling. Anyway, the dream and hearing about him got me thinking… That it would be okay to ask."

Firepaw was quiet a moment. He wasn't sure he really understood entirely what Grasspaw was going on about. _But if it'll make Grasspaw happy, it can't hurt to do it._ "Sure, Grasspaw. I can do that."

Grasspaw purred loudly. "Thank you!" The apprentice settled down in her own nest and continued to purr.

Firepaw rolled back over and tucked his nose under his paws. He was awake long enough to see Beechpaw return to the den, and he fell asleep not long after his friend laid down nearby.


	22. Chapter 20

"What do you think will happen?" Beechpaw asked. The tom paused to sniff at a clump of ferns.

Firepaw shrugged. "I dunno, you know more about this kind of stuff than I do." The toms were on patrol with Shadepaw and Minkpaw - though apprentices typically didn't patrol alone, according to Shadepaw, Leopardfur said it would be a sort of test, at least for Beechpaw and Shadepaw. Firepaw figured that it also had something to do with the fact that half of the warriors were holed up in Crookedstar's den, discussing the matter of ThunderClan and ShadowClan.

Shadepaw's tail twitched. "We can't keep hiding behind the river forever," she meowed. "Sooner or later, they're going to come for us, too."

Minkpaw scowled. "The fact that they're killing kits should be more than enough to get Crookedstar to want to fight. And to think Brokenstar tried to say _Yellowfang_ was a kit-killer!"

The other apprentices nodded along with her. The Clan had become suddenly much less suspicious of Yellowfang since hearing that Brokenstar had recruited rogues to use for battle, and that those rogues had no qualms about harming kits. Firepaw had even watched Whiteclaw bring the medicine cat a fat fish before the group left to patrol. _It's probably his way of making up for attacking her._

"What about Beetleclaw and Frogleap, though?" Beechpaw asked. "I don't think I've ever heard of a senior warrior being punished." The toms had been confined to camp to clean and replace the bedding of every den in camp - an embarrassing chore for a warrior of Beetleclaw's age.

Minkpaw frowned. "I'd rather not talk about that." Beetleclaw was her father. The subject had been awkward for her.

Shadepaw gave her a sympathetic look and nodded. "Let's just focus on the patrol."

The apprentices were heading upriver. They had long since passed the bridge, and were walking into taller grass now. They followed along the gorge, but kept a few fox-lengths away to be safe. It was easy going. The land north of camp was clear of obstacles and full of tall, fresh grasses.

Firepaw noticed some white, fluffy animals in the distance. They were grazing, and seemed not to notice the cats. "What are those?"

"Sheep," Shadepaw replied. "They're pretty harmless, and their wool is great for nests."

"They creep me out," Minkpaw said, shuddering. "They have such… vacant stares."

Shadepaw glanced at her, looking amused. "I'll protect you from the scary sheep."

Minkpaw's tail bristled with embarrassment. "I'm not scared!" she blurted. "They're just _weird_!"

Shadepaw purred. "Whatever you say."

They skirted around the herd of sheep, wandering without much direction. They stopped every so often to sniff at a stump or rock, checking for foreign scents, before they would move on again.

Firepaw found the patrol was oddly relaxing. Camp had been tense for days, and it was nice to get away from the bickering warriors. Though he wasn't close to Shadepaw, she seemed to get on well with Minkpaw, and the apprentices chatted easily as they walked.

"I hope my assessment is soon," Shadepaw meowed. She twitched her whiskers. "I feel like I've been an apprentice for _ages_."

"You're only two moons ahead of me!" Minkpaw retorted. "It hasn't been that long."

Beechpaw snorted. "And I'm a moon ahead of you, Shadepaw!"

Shadepaw rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on. We're all due to be warriors soon!"

Firepaw frowned. _I wonder when I'll be a warrior. I've been here… a little more than two moons, I think?_

Beechpaw shouldered him. "You can't be too far off. You're about the same age as Minkpaw and Grasspaw, I think."

"Ooh, what do you think our names will be?" Minkpaw asked. Her tail flicked with excitement at the thought. "I'd be pretty pleased with 'Minkwhisker'."

Beechpaw chuckled and flicked her with his tail. "I'd bet you'll get 'Minkstorm!'"

"Oh, come on," Shadepaw retorted. "She's a great hunter. Of course she'll get 'whisker'."

Minkpaw beamed.

Firepaw said nothing. The feeling of comfort was starting to fade—he was still practically an outsider when it came to this sort of thing. He knew a few names by now, but most meant nothing to him yet.

Beechpaw looked thoughtful. "I wouldn't mind 'throat'."

Minkpaw shook her head. "C'mon, I see how much you hang around the nursery. I'll eat my tail if Crookedstar doesn't name you 'flower'."

Beechpaw grinned. "That's true… I haven't been able to hang out in the nursery in a while, though. Has anyone seen Mallowtail's kits lately?"

"I saw them when I first got here," Firepaw said, eager for the change in subject. "But I haven't seen much of them since."

"I'm sure they'll be running around and getting under everyone's paws any day now," Shadepaw replied. "I brought the queens some fresh-kill the other day. Her litter is an energetic one! I don't think poor Brambleflower has gotten any sleep since they opened their eyes."

Minkpaw glanced at Shadepaw. "What do you want _your_ name to be?"

Shadepaw shrugged. "I'm sure I'll just get 'pelt' or 'fur'."

"No way!" Minkpaw exclaimed. "You're the best fighter out of any of us. I bet you'll be Shadeclaw."

Shadepaw purred. "Shadeclaw _does_ sound pretty nice..."

Firepaw held in a sigh as they returned to the topic of names.

Beechpaw seemed to notice Firepaw's change in mood. He batted Firepaw with a paw. "What about Firepaw?" he meowed.

"Tough one," Shadepaw said. "How fast are you? 'Firefoot' wouldn't be a terrible name."

Firepaw smiled a little. "I don't know if I'm _fast_, but I did run from the Twolegplace to Sunningrocks when I was younger…"

"Firefoot has a nice ring to it," Beechpaw agreed. "Or maybe Firetail? Let's find you a tree to climb and see how you fare."

"I heard a ShadowClan apprentice say you were handsome at the Gathering," Minkpaw went on, starting to snicker. "Maybe he'll be Fireface?"

"Fireface!" Firepaw meowed. "That's too weird."

Shadepaw laughed. "'Face' means you're an attractive, healthy cat. Not a bad name, but it _does_ sound a little weird as yours."

"Now hold on just a moment," Beechpaw said. "I, for one, want to know who said Firepaw was _handsome_. He's still got kit fluff!"

"I don't!" Firepaw retorted with a laugh. "That's just how my fur is!"

Eventually, the apprentices headed home, having found nothing out of the ordinary. It wasn't until they passed the bridge that Shadepaw suddenly bristled.

"What's wrong?" Minkpaw asked.

"ShadowClan," Shadepaw hissed. "I smell them."

The others tasted the air. Firepaw did notice the unusual scent—it was familiar, like Yellowfang's scent, and that may have been why he didn't catch it at first.

"She's right," Beechpaw growled. "What are they doing here?"

"We aren't far from camp," Shadepaw said. "Let's hurry." She started to run, so the other apprentices dashed along after her.

"What if they're attacking?" Firepaw asked.

"Then they might be in trouble," Beechpaw panted.

They didn't slow until the reed border of camp was in sight. There seemed to be no sounds of battle, and no screeches of rage or pain, so the apprentices halted for a moment to catch their breaths.

"Come on," Shadepaw meowed. "They're not attacking… but I don't like not knowing what's happening." She led them through the reeds and into camp.

Right away, Firepaw noticed the ShadowClan patrol sitting in the middle of camp. The air was even more tense than usual. RiverClan warriors sat at the edges of camp, glaring suspiciously at the outsiders. Whiteclaw, Voleclaw, and Skyheart sat right outside the nursery. It was clear they were guarding it.

Silverpaw and Weaselfoot were on sentry duty, having been seated along the reeds. They both pricked their ears at the apprentices' arrivals and approached them.

"What's going on?" Shadepaw demanded.

Weaselfoot glanced at the ShadowClan cats out of the corner of his eye. "Brokenstar decided to 'stop by'," he growled. "He brought his strongest warriors. He's clearly trying to intimidate us."

Firepaw examined the patrol for a moment. They were all muscular, tough-looking cats. One, a silver tom, was simply massive—probably even bigger than Thistlestar or Tigerclaw. A stocky black tom meticulously cleaned his long claws, clearly putting on show with the whole act. Two mollies talked in low whispers, and glared at any cat who passed them.

_Well,_ Firepaw thought, gulping. _The intimidation thing is working._

Silverpaw bristled. "I'll be glad when they're gone. I can't believe Crookedstar is entertaining that Clan of _rogues_ here after what they did."

For once, Firepaw agreed with Silverpaw. _They killed at least one ThunderClan kit, _Firepaw thought. _How can he even let them sit around here?_

The silver ShadowClan tom rose suddenly, and headed for the nursery. Hisses rose from all around.

"You stop right there," Whiteclaw snarled. "We know what you lot did to ThunderClan!"

The tom blinked, but seemed unfazed by the hostility. "I just want to see Brambleflower," he meowed. "We're good friends. It's been a while since I've gotten to see how she's doing."

"Back off, Boulder," Skyheart hissed. "Or I'll rip your nose off. I don't care if Crookedstar said you were guests, you're dead if you take another step towards the nursery."

_Boulder?_ Firepaw wondered. _That doesn't sound like a warrior name. Is he one of the rogues they recruited?_ The tom felt himself bristling. _They're right to keep him away!_

A soft voice came from the nursery. "Boulder?"

Voleclaw glanced over his shoulder. "No, Brambleflower, Crookedstar said the queens aren't supposed to—"

Suddenly, the tabby molly shoved her way through the warriors. Brambleflower beamed. "Boulder!" she purred. "I've missed you!"

Boulder let out a laugh. "I missed you, too. How are those kits of yours coming along?"

Their pleasantries felt out of place. Whiteclaw lashed his tail. "Get back in the nursery," he growled. "Didn't you hear that ShadowClan kills kits now?"

"Oh, Boulder would never lay a paw on kits," Brambleflower airily replied.

Firepaw glanced at Shadepaw. "How do they know each other?"

It was Weaselfoot who answered. "Brambleflower was rogue-born, but she was found as a kit. Boulder joined ShadowClan as a rogue seasons ago. I guess they figured they had something in common and bonded over it."

Firepaw blinked. _Brambleflower wasn't born here either?_

"I still wonder who the father of her kits is," Beechpaw whispered. "She's not really close to anyone… other than Boulder, I guess, but they'd never have kits."

Weaselfoot fixed the apprentice with a glare. "This is hardly the time for gossip. Just… keep an eye on them like everyone else." He turned away to return to his original spot. Silverpaw sniffed and did the same.

Beechpaw rolled his eyes. "It's not like they're going to do anything with that size of a patrol and everyone here." He swiped his tongue over his lips. "We might as well eat." He headed for the fresh-kill pile.

"I'll stay here," Firepaw replied. He sat down and turned his gaze back to the patrol. Shadepaw and Minkpaw made no move to leave for the pile, either. "Who're the rest of those cats?"

Shadepaw twitched an ear. "The black one with the big paws is Blackfoot. He's ShadowClan's deputy. Doesn't talk much and isn't friendly. The same could be said for Russetfur… the ginger molly. She was rogue-born too. The other molly is Fernshade, a senior warrior. Don't know much about her."

_There seems to be a lot more cats who were born outsiders, _Firepaw thought. _By the way cats act, it sounded like I was the only one._

They sat about and continued to wait. No one was eager to move about. Those who hadn't been called to Crookedstar's den continued to cast their hate-filled stares at the ShadowClan patrol. Firepaw hardly blamed them. The longer the outsiders sat there, looking relaxed as can be, the more angry he grew. _They killed kits,_ he thought, beginning to bristle. _And now they'll just lounge about our camp pretending nothing happened?_

A sudden screech made nearly every cat jump. Brokenstar came tearing out of Crookedstar's den, bristling like a hedgehog. His nose was bleeding. Crookedstar came running out after him. He parted his jaws in a ferocious hiss - and the twisted lower jaw only made him look all the more terrifying. Brokenstar whipped around, arching his back.

_What on earth?_ Firepaw's tail whipped about. It had bushed up on its own from the shock of the leaders' confrontation.

"You come into _my camp_ and think you can make these demands of me?" Crookedstar roared. "We know what you did in ThunderClan, Brokenstar! Our hunting grounds will _never_ be used by your Clan of mange-pelts."

"Be very careful, Crookedstar," Brokenstar hissed. "You wouldn't want to make rash decisions that you'll -"

"_Careful_?" Crookedstar scoffed. "You should be lucky I don't rid the Clans of your filthy existence right now! Begone, or I _will_."

Brokenstar took a step back. The tom was a large brute, and it was likely that he could match Crookedstar in a fight. But the RiverClan warriors were rising and edging closer, and the ShadowClan leader saw this. His eyes flitted about nervously. For a moment, he stalled as he stared towards the Medicine Cats' Den.

Yellowfang was sitting in the mouth of the den. Her eyes were narrowed to slits. She said nothing.

"So," Brokenstar hissed. "You've been hiding out with the fish-faces." He lifted his chin. "Come, ShadowClan," he snapped. "RiverClan has chosen their fate."

The patrol rose. Boulder, looking unsure, whispered a goodbye to Brambleflower and hurried to join them. Brokenstar spun around and headed for the reeds.

Neither Shadepaw nor Minkpaw moved, so Firepaw held his ground. Brokenstar padded right by him. He glanced down at Firepaw for a moment, snorted softly, and went out of camp through the reeds.

A few moments of silence passed. Then Sedgecreek lifted her head and smirked. "Well done, Crookedstar!" she shouted.

"He sure showed that fox!" Agreed a grinning Skyheart.

Voleclaw nodded. "He won't come crawling back here."

Crookedstar shrugged off the praise. "Yes... yes, he will." Without much explanation, he turned to go back into his den. "We will resume our meeting. This is only another element to consider."

* * *

**Thank you to everyone who has been reviewing! I know I haven't replied to reviews in a while, but know that I appreciate each and every review I get. I'm going to try be a little more consistent about replying!**

**Reviews:**

**Riley-Cooper123: Oh, Dawnwhisker definitely won't be retiring. _Warriors_ definitely has way too much ableism in it, and I'm not a fan. Dawnwhisker will be back in the next couple of chapters, actually!**

**LaurenRiverSister: Thank you for all your reviews, I appreciate hearing all your thoughts! Haha, the story has been pretty quickly updated - that's because the first book has already been written, so I've just been sporadically updating when I have the time. It'll slow down in the next book! I'm about halfway through writing that one.**

**Pandean: Thanks! The queens eating their kits thing definitely didn't happen in original Warriors, it's not _super_ common in this universe, but sometimes in real life a queen will kill her own kittens if they're sick or injured _or_ if she's extremely stressed. It's happened very rarely in this AU world, but it's such a scary and jarring thing that cats have come to associate the idea of it with the Widow tormenting a cat she deems unfit to be a mother.**

**bgmblues: Thank you so much! Trans rights!**


	23. Chapter 21

Firepaw ducked and rolled as Silverpaw charged towards him. A swipe missed his eye by a whisker. Firepaw jumped back to his paws and batted at Silverpaw. His blow was weak, but it hit the other apprentice's shoulder. Silverthorn hissed in frustration and snapped at Firepaw's tail. Firepaw pulled it back in time, and his opponent's jaws closed on air.

"Finish it, Silverpaw!" Weaselfoot shouted.

Silverpaw whipped about and pounced quite suddenly. Firepaw, taken off guard, tried to scramble away, but to no avail. Silverpaw landed on him and forced him to the ground.

"Fight him off, Firepaw," Leopardfur meowed. She was standing in for Dawnwhisker today, though she hadn't been much help. She mostly watched silently, keeping her critical, unimpressed stare on him at all times.

Firepaw twisted around so that his throat wasn't open for a direct bite, then began to pummel at Silverpaw's belly with his hind legs. Silverpaw whacked him across the face - a blow that surely would have ripped through an eye had his claws been unsheathed. Firepaw drew in his legs and pushed out with all his might, finally shoving the tom off of him. Panting, Firepaw rolled back over into a crouch.

"Enough," Leopardfur said. "You were both sloppy. Silverpaw, you should have pinned him ages ago, and that blow would be a dishonorable one in any real fight. Firepaw, you allowed yourself to be trapped _again_. You need to fight more offensively, or you'll be beaten to a pulp against a real warrior."

Silverpaw, who had been looking proud, lowered his tail. His ears flattened. Silverpaw nodded, though a lash of his tail betrayed his irritation. Weaselfoot looked equally bothered, though he didn't step in to defend his apprentice against the deputy's criticism.

Firepaw nodded too. _She's hard to please,_ he thought. Her rebuke only stung slightly. He had already been growing used to Leopardfur's critiques.

Leopardfur flicked an ear. "Again. Battle could come at any moment."

Firepaw sighed quietly and turned to face Silverpaw again. The other tom was already crouched, eyes narrowed to slits.

"Ready? Then -" Leopardfur broke off as the undergrowth rustled loudly.

Petalstream hurried out from the ferns. "Leopardfur? Thank StarClan."

Leopardfur stood and turned towards her. "What? What's wrong?"

"Crookedstar has called for a Clan meeting," Petalstream panted. "He wants everyone present."

Leopardfur's ears pricked. "He's reached a decision, then?"

Petalstream shrugged. "I know less than you, Leopardfur."

The deputy sighed. "Very well." She glanced back at the apprentices to address them. "Come along, and don't lag." Leopardfur didn't wait for them as she headed off back towards camp.

Firepaw glanced back at Silverpaw. In an attempt to be friendly, he meowed, "Guess we're finally getting some news, huh?"

Silverpaw just snorted rudely and padded past him.

Firepaw rolled his eyes. _Why do I even try?_

* * *

Firepaw was hardly in camp for a heartbeat before Crookedstar began to speak.

"Good, good," Crookedstar said, already seated on the flat stone. "Everyone's here, then."

Firepaw blinked and hurried to sit between Beechpaw and Grasspaw. The pair both nodded quietly at him before turning their attention back towards their leader.

"Some of this may sound redundant," Crookedstar began. "But please, bear with me. ThunderClan has long been an enemy of ours. Even more so since Thistlestar became leader. He, however, has always focused on Sunningrocks and petty fights… Brokenstar seems to be an entirely different, more pressing threat." He shifted his paws and cleared his throat before he went on. "He is much more aggressive, and has been demanding rights to other Clans' hunting grounds… yesterday, he asked the same of me. Many of you saw how he was sent off."

A few chuckles went around.

Crookedstar still looked deadly serious. "Brokenstar asked we allow his patrols to hunt on our territory. I refused, and he began to threaten that he would bring in reinforcements if necessary to take our land by force." He looked towards Yellowfang. "Yellowfang, if you would speak, please…"

The ragged molly nodded. Yellowfang was seated close to the stone, beside Mudfur. "Brokenstar will stop at nothing if he sets his mind to it. Even before he was deputy, he urged Raggedstar into fight after fight against WindClan… until our deputy then was killed. As deputy, he was a brute, bullying cats into following his every word." She closed her eyes and fell silent for a few heartbeats before speaking again. "When he became leader, he made three-moon-old kits apprentices, and they were made warriors at hardly any older than six. Kits were dying in training, forced to fight viciously and without quarter…"

Yellowfang's voice became strained. "My nieces went missing one day, hardly after they'd started to walk. I found them dead and he pinned their deaths on me. I knew he hated me because he didn't have my support, but after hearing of the violence in ThunderClan, I believe he murdered them himself."

Firepaw felt sick. _And I thought Thistlestar was bad… Brokenstar sounds truly evil._

"This is all terrible," Blackclaw grunted. "But what's the point of all this?"

Crookedstar looked down at him. "I feel that it is RiverClan's duty to launch an attack against ShadowClan and put an end to him."

"What?" Beetleclaw demanded. "He hasn't done anything to RiverClan - the problem is Thistlestar!"

Graypool shifted uncomfortably. "Crookedstar, RiverClan has never launched an assault like this… it isn't our way. Skirmishes over Sunningrocks is one thing, but this… you're talking about war."

Others muttered their agreement. Firepaw wasn't sure what to think. _I don't know what we're _supposed _to do… but is it right to just sit around doing nothing?_

Crookedstar seemed to ignore Beetleclaw altogether. "Graypool, I understand your concern. But in the past, we have not had an issue like Brokenstar. Our problems have been privately with ThunderClan… but this affects _all_ Clans. When I visited the Moonstone, there was hardly any fresh WindClan scent. Their Clan may be falling apart as I speak because of Brokenstar's violence. How can I let more kits die just because we have always been safe here?"

Mallowtail and Brambleflower were both seated near the nursery. Mallowtail spoke up. "Crookedstar is right," she meowed. "I've never worried about my kits' safety, because we've never had threats in our camp like this. But to think that ShadowClan would march into a nursery and kill them if they could…" she shuddered. "That terrifies me."

Whiteclaw stared at his mate for a moment before he spoke up. "I'd die fighting anyone if it meant keeping my family safe," he growled. "If that means attacking ShadowClan, so be it."

Crookedstar nodded gratefully to them. "Leopardfur, what do you think?"

The deputy looked thoughtful. "Considering they've recruited rogues, we can't do it alone. We have no idea what their numbers are."

"That's true," Crookedstar agreed. "I wouldn't be surprised if Thistlestar was itching for revenge after their attack. You said he would visit us, didn't you?"

Leopardfur nodded. "Yes. I'm sure they're still recovering from the attack, but it can't be long now."

"Very well." Crookedstar straightened. "I have no idea what the state of WindClan is. In the meantime, we will focus our efforts on keeping a strong border and watching for ShadowClan. Once ThunderClan contacts us, I will propose we make a joint attack."

"Work with _them_?" Beetleclaw snarled. "Crookedstar, you can't be—"

Crookedstar glared down at him. "You are still in trouble for the mess you caused," he snapped. "Your next words should be chosen carefully."

Beetleclaw wisely snapped his jaws shut, but his pelt remained bristled with undisguised rage.

Firepaw felt sympathetic. He didn't like the older tom much, but he understood his anger. _Beetleclaw still hasn't gotten any closure from losing Sunwhisker, _he thought. _Now he might have to fight alongside her killers._

Grasspaw shifted, looking uncomfortable. "He's right," she whispered. "They killed Sunwhisker… why would they help us?"

Beechpaw touched his tail to her shoulder. "I know," he replied. "But we've got a common enemy now."

Crookedstar coughed slightly. "Now, there's a final matter I have to turn to… a happier one, I hope." His smile was strained, but seemed genuine. "Beechpaw, please come forward."

Beechpaw sat up abruptly. "I nearly forgot!" he whispered.

"What?" Firepaw asked. "What's going on?"

Grasspaw grinned. "He had his assessment this morning. He's going to be a warrior!"

Beechpaw nodded eagerly and stood. He gave his chest a self-conscious lick before he padded towards the flat stone, tail held high.

_Beechpaw's becoming a warrior?_ Firepaw smiled, feeling a rush of pride for his friend. _That's great!_

"Cats of RiverClan," Crookedstar said. "Beechpaw has completed his apprenticeship and was assessed today. Blackclaw, do you believe your apprentice is ready to become a full warrior of RiverClan?"

"Of course!" Blackclaw replied. His chest was puffed out proudly. "He's ready, Crookedstar." Not even Blackclaw would let his pride in his apprentice be spoiled by his hatred for outsiders.

Crookedstar dipped his head. "Then I call upon my warrior ancestors to look upon this apprentice. He has trained hard to learn the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in turn. Beechpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Beechpaw replied.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Beechpaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Beechflower," Crookedstar declared. "StarClan honors your kindness and dedication, and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan."

The gathered Clan began to cheer. "Beechflower! Beechflower! Beechflower!"

Grasspaw and Firepaw both quickly joined in the yowling. "Beechflower! Beechflower!"

As the cheers died down, Crookedstar spoke again. "Tonight, you will keep a silent vigil and guard camp. It will begin at sunset." He rose and stretched. "Dismissed."

Rather than split apart, many cats hurried up to Beechflower to congratulate him. They crowded around him, calling his name and wishing him the best.

Grasspaw stood and purred. "Come on, let's go see him before he has to be quiet!"

Firepaw grinned and nodded. The pair of them headed towards him, and ended up waiting behind Sedgecreek. The warrior glanced back at them and smiled. "That'll be you two soon enough!"

Grasspaw kneaded her paws eagerly. "Can we go out and get some training in?" she asked. "I'll be a warrior in no time!"

Sedgecreek purred. "Alright, alright." She turned back ahead and padded up to Beechflower. "Hey! Well done. I'll make sure they get a good nest ready for you for when the vigil is over!" The molly quickly gave him a friendly flick of her tail before she moved out of the way.

Firepaw walked up to him, Grasspaw just a whisker behind. "Congratulations!" he purred. "I didn't know you were getting assessed today."

"Me neither!" Beechflower laughed. "It was pretty sudden. I'm glad, but I'll miss training with you. Hurry up and become a warrior, okay?"

"We'll be in the warriors den any day now!" Grasspaw cheerfully promised.

"_Excuse_ me!" Minkpaw yowled from behind them. She shoved her way between the two apprentices and rolled her eyes. "What did I say?" she meowed to Beechflower. "I knew you'd get that name!"

Beechflower looked as though he were about to reply, but Silverstream padded up on his other side and nudged him. "Well done," she purred. "I'll be nice having you back on patrols with me."

Beechflower turned around very quickly, and looked oddly embarrassed. "Th-thanks!" he replied.

Firepaw glanced at Grasspaw, raising his brows in question. The molly rolled her eyes and drew him aside. "He's got the _biggest_ crush on Silverstream," she explained in a hushed tone. "She was made a warrior just before you got here, so they used to train together a lot."

_Really?_ Firepaw glanced back towards the pair. They were talking, though Beechflower still looked quite flustered. "How come I never noticed?"

Grasspaw rolled her eyes. "You've got to pay more attention to all of the gossip!" she meowed. "StarClan, what else have you missed out on?"

_No one's really gossiped with me before, _Firepaw thought. He shrugged. "I guess I don't really know."

"I've got to get you caught up," Grasspaw huffed. "It's no fun being out of the loop, trust me…"

"Firepaw, Grasspaw, come here!" Leopardfur called.

The pair glanced around to search for her, before they spotted the deputy sitting by the reeds. They exchanged a confused look before they padded over.

"Yes, Leopardfur?" Firepaw asked, once they'd reached her.

"Crookedstar wants to take a patrol to WindClan to speak to Tallstar," Leopardfur meowed. "You two will come along, as will your mentors."

"Dawnwhisker is better?" Firepaw asked, pricking his ears hopefully.

Leopardfur nodded. "Mudfur said she's done all the healing she can." She chuckled dryly. "Though I think she's mostly fed up with being there." Leopardfur twitched her whiskers. "There is another matter I need to speak to you about. Shadepaw, Mosspaw, and Silverpaw will be having their warrior assessments tomorrow, and you'll both be part of them, along with Minkpaw."

_We're being assessed?_ Firepaw wondered. _So soon?_

Seeming to read his mind, Leopardfur quickly added, "Now, this is not _your_ assessment. You'll simply be providing a bit of a challenge for them. It's a bit early for them, so Crookedstar wants it to be… a bit more challenging, I suppose." She rose and shook her pelt out. "Firepaw, go fetch Dawnwhisker, will you? I'd like to get this over with."

Firepaw nodded eagerly and hurried off for the den. _Finally, Dawnwhisker can train me again!_

* * *

**Reviews:**

**LaurenRiverSister: As always, I love to hear your thoughts/pondering on the story! I will say that Brokenstar unfortunately doesn't get a lot of time in person in the story, which I do regret. I plan on posting some "bonus chapters" to my blog every so often to highlight characters that I want to give more background to, and he'll definitely be one that gets one! The full naming system is on there as well.**

**Runereader: I'm glad you like him! I found it strange in re-reading that Crookedstar just sat back and let Brokenstar hunt on his territory. It's a silly move as a leader and he doesn't really get a lot of great character moments outside of his SE, which is a book I love.**

**Riley-Cooper123: Crookedstar's Promise is only semi-canon. His mother was still abusive and forced his name change, and he dealt with a lot of similar hardship (losing his mate and kits, for example), but he never met Mapleshade or ran away from RiverClan. He became deputy through hard work that proved his merit, not via the squirrel sign. The Widow/Mapleshade actually tormented Rainstorm (Rainflower) after she began to neglect and abuse Crookedstar and caused _her_ lots of pain and grief, eventually driving her to total madness (and into the paws of the same dog she dies to in canon). Crookedstar was never aware of this. As for the updating schedule, not exactly! My real life schedule is a bit of a mess right now, so it's just updated whenever I've got the time to sit down and do it.**

**Thanks to everyone else who reviewed!**


	24. Chapter 22

"Dawnwhisker!" Firepaw called, as he stuck his head into the medicine cats' den. "Leopardfur's asking for you to join our patrol."

Dawnwhisker, who had been laying in her nest, sat up abruptly. "She is?" she meowed. "Thank StarClan!"

Yellowfang was seated nearby. She fixed the molly with a stern glare. "Come right back after," she ordered. "I'll check you over one last time and make sure you're fine."

Dawnwhisker seemed to hardly hear her. She padded right towards the mouth of the den. "Thanks, Yellowfang," she purred. Firepaw noticed she still had her injured eye tightly shut. Visible scars ran across her eye lid and down her cheek.

Firepaw stepped aside so she could pad out. "How's your eye?" he asked.

"Well," Dawnflower meowed. "I can't see a thing out of it. Mudfur and Yellowfang said it healed as much as it can and isn't infected, so I suppose that's what counts." She smiled at Firepaw. "I'm glad to be able to take over your training again, though," she said.

"Me too," Firepaw purred. They padded towards Leopardfur together. Sedgecreek had joined her and Grasspaw, and the three cats were all standing.

"Ready?" Leopardfur asked, as they reached them.

Dawnwhisker nodded. "Of course."

Leopardfur smiled in the slightest. "Glad to have you back." She turned and led the way out of camp. "We're heading to WindClan to see if we can speak to Ferretstar. Did you hear everything Crookedstar said?"

"Yes," Dawnwhisker said, as they all padded through the reeds. "Though I won't be pleased to see Thistlestar again."

Leopardfur frowned deeply. "Nor will I."

Sedgecreek looked uneasy as well. "I know we need their help," she meowed. "But how can we trust them?"

"We have to trust Crookedstar," Leopardfur replied. "He's doing what he thinks is best."

Firepaw and Grasspaw walked along behind the three warriors. Firepaw was surprised to notice how much closer in size he was to Dawnwhisker - when he'd first joined RiverClan, she seemed to have towered over him, but now he was nearly her size. _Is warriorhood really that far off?_ He wondered. _Sometimes it only feels like I've been here for a few heartbeats._

The patrol traveled quickly, and didn't talk much. Even Grasspaw was quiet. Leopardfur was clearly leading the patrol, and she made no conversation, so the others followed suit. Rather than pass the bridge as they often did on patrol, they turned and crossed it. Firepaw glanced over the side for a heartbeat before shrinking back. The water was far below them - not as much of a drop as near the gorge, but the rocks and rapids below spelled doom for any who fell in.

"Has anyone ever fallen in the gorge?" Firepaw asked, swallowing back the nerves that came with the glance at the river.

"Yes," Leopardfur briskly replied. "It's rare that anyone who does survives."

Firepaw gulped and took an even further step away from the edge. Dawnwhisker glanced back at him and smiled in amusement. "Afraid of heights, Firepaw?" she teased.

"Just not eager to fall in," he replied, with a nervous twitch of his whiskers.

"I don't blame you," Grasspaw agreed. She shuddered a bit. "Imagine getting battered around by rocks!"

_I'd rather not!_ Firepaw thought.

"Hush," Leopardfur ordered. She jumped from the end of the bridge to the soft grass beyond. "We're approaching WindClan territory. You two no longer have the good graces of StarClan to protect you from them, so be on your best behavior and do _not_ wander."

_I'm not a kit!_ Firepaw thought indignantly. _We know better by now._ He and Grasspaw both nodded, anyway, though Grasspaw glanced at him and rolled her eyes.

The grass began to get taller as they walked on along the other side of the river. Dawnwhisker frowned as they passed a large boulder, and the molly halted a moment to taste the air. "There should be a scent marker here," she meowed. "But I hardly smell a thing."

Leopardfur nodded. "If they're not setting markers, something _is_ really wrong in WindClan."

Firepaw frowned as they crossed what was apparently the border. _I thought we all knew they were in trouble since the Gathering,_ he thought. _Why are some cats acting like this is all new?_

"We're not going to wait for a patrol?" Sedgecreek asked. She sounded nervous. "What if they think we're invading?"

Leopardfur flicked her tail. "They clearly aren't going to come to us," she snapped. "Or did you not pay attention to what we were saying only two heartbeats ago?"

Grasspaw's ears flattened. "She's just being careful!" she protested.

Leopardfur looked over her shoulder to glare at the apprentice. "You'd best be careful not to talk back to your _deputy_, Grasspaw." Her voice was edged with irritation.

Grasspaw flattened her ears. "Sorry," she muttered. She hardly sounded apologetic.

A yowl split the air. "Fox-dung! Mange-pelts! I'll flay you!"

Firepaw nearly jumped. "What was that?"

Dawnwhisker bristled. "That sounds like Deadfoot!" she hissed. "He must be in trouble."

Leopardfur nodded. "Come on!" She broke into a run.

Firepaw raced after her and the other warriors. They ran up a short slope, until the ground flattened out into a short, grassy peak. A tall black tom and a younger white molly were facing off against four cats. The black tom hissed, bristling and arching his back, but it was clear that he was skinny and feeble. The molly beside him was trembling, but she was putting on the same show of aggression.

_They must be WindClan cats! _Firepaw thought. _They need help!_

One of the intruders laughed loudly. "These rabbit-chasers really are pathetic! You're going to _flay_ me, are you? A puff of wind could knock you over!" He was a mangy-looking thing, with an unkept, dark pelt. The others with him advanced, pulling back their lips to reveal rows of sharp teeth. The brute smirked. "Come on, just hand over that rabbit, and we won't beat up that kit of yours."

Leopardfur dropped into a crouch. "Get down!" she hissed, voice low. The intruders hadn't spotted them. They all lowered themselves.

"What are we going to do?" Firepaw whispered.

"I don't know yet," Leopardfur replied. She turned back to the scene in front of them.

"Leopardfur, that's Deadfoot and Whitepaw," Dawnwhisker hissed. "They look starved! They can't fight off four cats alone."

"This isn't our fight," Leopardfur replied, coldly.

Firepaw sat up, disregarding the fact that the cats ahead could see them easily. "What?" he demanded. He surprised himself with the outburst, but carried on. "How can you say that?"

"Shut up!" Sedgecreek hissed, but it was already too late. The big brute was looking towards them now.

"No!" Firepaw retorted. "Dawnwhisker just said they're starving and weak! What do you want to do, sit around and watch them get killed?"

Leopardfur stared at him, eyes wide. She didn't even look angry - just surprised that Firepaw dare speak to her like that. He stood up and lashed his tail. "I'm going to help them!"

"Who's there?" The brute demanded. His tail was raised straight up in the air, bristling. "Show yourself, coward!"

Leopardfur started to speak. "Firepaw, don't you dare -"

He didn't wait for her to finish. Firepaw was already on his paws and charging past the warriors. Something had stirred within him, compelling him to act.

"Firepaw!" Dawnwhisker yowled.

Deadfoot's eyes gleamed as he saw Firepaw racing for the intruders. He turned and leaped for the leading tom, crashing into him. The two tumbled in a flurry of fur and claws.

Firepaw threw himself at the nearest cat to him, a skinny gray molly. She shrieked as he knocked her over. His claws gripped her by the shoulders, and they rolled over. Firepaw's back slammed into the ground, but he didn't let go. The molly was on her side, but she was trying to twist free of his grip. Using all his strength, Firepaw pulled himself all the way towards her and latched his jaws into her scruff. They rolled sideways, the molly still wailing and screaming and twisting about wildly. She jerked back and wrenched herself free, but Firepaw came away with tufts of fur in his claws.

The gray molly whipped around and tried to flee - but ran right into Leopardfur. The deputy hissed and dealt her a savage blow across the face.

_She decided to fight!_ Firepaw thought, relief flooding him. He gave himself a shake before he turned around again to face the other intruders. Deadfoot was now pinned by the big brute. Whitepaw and Grasspaw were fighting side-by-side against another tom, while a third was being chased off by Sedgecreek and Dawnwhisker.

Firepaw headed for Deadfoot and the big rogue. "Hey!" he yowled. "Over here, mange-pelt!"

The big tom glanced at him, and Deadfoot shoved a paw directly in his throat. The brute choked, and Firepaw launched himself forward, aiming for his tail. _I helped Silverpaw get away from Tigerclaw by going for his tail_, Firepaw recalled. As the tom stumbled off of Deadfoot, gasping, Firepaw bit down on his tail.

"Yee-ow!" The tom caterwauled. When he turned to face Firepaw, Deadfoot rolled up and wrapped his legs around the brute's neck. He sank his jaws into his neck.

Firepaw was so surprised that he released the brute's tail. _Is he going to _kill _him?_

But Deadfoot simply threw himself around and forced the tom to the ground. He held his grip around the tom's throat, holding him there. The brute fell still, clearly aware that his life could be easily torn from him. "I give," he wheezed. "Mercy!"

Deadfoot let out a snarl. He released the brute's throat, and immediately gave him a blow over the ears. "Get out of here!" he spat. "Tell Brokenstar to quit sending flea-ridden rogues to do his dirty work!"

The brute didn't waste a moment to roll away, take to his paws, and race off. He was clearly the leader of the band, for the others tore themselves away from the warriors and ran after him.

"And don't come back!" Whitepaw piped up. The little apprentice's white coat was muddy and roughed up, but her eyes were bright.

Deadfoot panted for a few moments before he looked over the RiverClan cats. He glanced down at Firepaw. "Thank StarClan for the lot of you," he muttered. The tom stood up fully. He was far taller than any RiverClan cat, and his bones stuck out awkwardly from all angles. He nodded briefly to Firepaw. "Thanks, youngster. I thought he had me for a moment. You are…?"

"Firepaw," the apprentice replied. He lifted his tail, surprised that the tom acknowledged him first.

"Deadfoot," the tom meowed. "Deputy of WindClan." His gaze traveled past Firepaw and towards Leopardfur. "Leopardfur," he grunted. The warmth in his voice vanished.

Leopardfur nodded to him. "I was hoping to speak to you," she said. "Not like that, though. What was all that?"

Deadfoot lashed his long tail. "Some of Brokenstar's new recruits," he said. "They were trying to take our prey… though I'm sure you saw that clearly from where you were skulking about."

Leopardfur blinked. "Excuse me?" she retorted. "We just saved you and that prey of yours, Deadfoot. A little gratitude won't kill you."

The WindClan deputy scoffed. "My gratitude is directed towards this apprentice of yours," he meowed, with a flick of his tail towards Firepaw. "I've got better hearing than those buzzard-brained rogues. I know which cat came running to help us."

Firepaw withered as Leopardfur shot a glare at him. _Oh, I'm in trouble again when we get home…_

Deadfoot wasn't finished. "Now, if you'll excuse us, we have starving queens to feed." He trotted a few fox-lengths off and plucked a dead rabbit up from the ground.

"Wait!" Sedgecreek called. "We still need to talk to you."

Leopardfur nodded. "Crookedstar wants to fight ShadowClan," she explained. "He means to get rid of Brokenstar for good. Surely Ferretstar would be interested in hearing of this?"

Deadfoot slowly set down the rabbit. He stared at Leopardfur, ears flat. There was a stretch of uncomfortable silence.

"No," he said, voice cold. "He would not. We asked the other Clans for help when ShadowClan was causing trouble for us, and now that he's bothering the rest of you, you want _WindClan's_ help?" Deadfoot shook his head. "You would have let us starve until every last WindClan cat was dead, so long as ShadowClan didn't put a paw over _your_ scentline. Fight this battle yourself."

Dawnwhisker's ears flattened. "You won't even take us to speak to Ferretstar?" she asked. "This concerns all Clans, Deadfoot -"

Deadfoot glared at the molly. "We could not fight even if we wanted to!" he snarled. "ShadowClan sees to that as they attack our hunting patrols and hunt freely here. Our concerns are surviving until the next day. _You_ let the problem get out of control. So RiverClan and ThunderClan can deal with it!" He snatched up the rabbit, and with a jerk of his chin to beckon Whitepaw, took off into the tall grass. Whitepaw hesitated before she followed the deputy.

The RiverClan cats stood there quietly for a few moments.

"Now what?" Sedgecreek asked.

Leopardfur lashed her tail furiously. "We go home," she hissed. She looked directly at Firepaw. "And _you -" _she snarled. "You better figure out where you'll be living once Crookedstar gets rid of you."


	25. Chapter 23

Firepaw was miserable on the return trip home. His tail dragged along through the grass as they went. Dawnwhisker walked beside him, casting worried glances his way every so often. As they crossed the bridge, his mentor touched her tail to his shoulder.

"Listen," she meowed. "I'll talk to Leopardfur. She's just angry."

_'Just'?_ Firepaw thought. _She wants me gone!_ He had no idea what he would do if Crookedstar actually exiled him. Would he return to his house? Would his humans even take him back? Did he _want_ to go back there?

No. That much he knew. He couldn't be a kittypet again.

"Everything's spinning out of control," Dawnwhisker murmured. "And she feels it. You won't be banished. You're not the first apprentice to disobey someone." She smiled at him before she picked up her pace to walk beside Leopardfur, who was walking a pace ahead of the rest of the patrol. The deputy was clearly still furious - her tail whipped about, and her pelt remained slightly bristled.

Firepaw angled his ears forward and tried to listen as best he could. _Can Dawnwhisker really talk her down?_ He wondered, feeling hardly any optimism.

"Leopardfur," Dawnwhisker quietly meowed. "Please reconsider."

"No," Leopardfur growled. "RiverClan doesn't need _more_ warriors who ignore orders and act out of turn."

Dawnwhisker sighed softly. "I know you're still upset about being forced into attacking ThunderClan like that," she said. "But Firepaw isn't like Beetleclaw. He didn't want to fight for revenge… he just wanted to help."

Leopardfur lashed her tail. "He has no respect for leadership," she insisted, but her voice was faltering, as though she was already losing her conviction for Firepaw's punishment. "He should have followed my orders."

"Maybe so," Dawnwhisker meowed. "But Firepaw did the right thing. You know that, Leopardfur."

The deputy was silent for a few long moments. Firepaw lifted his tail, feeling a bit more hopeful. Grasspaw glanced back at him, an uncertain look in her eye.

"Fine," Leopardfur grunted. "But he can't go unpunished."

Dawnwhisker nodded. "No exile, though?" There was a slightly teasing tone to her voice.

Leopardfur let out a sigh. "No exile."

Firepaw nearly felt like sighing himself, but he didn't want to make it overwhelmingly obvious he had been straining himself to overhear. _Thank goodness!_

"You need to rest," Dawnwhisker told Leopardfur. "When was the last time you had a proper meal? Or a full night of sleep?"

Leopardfur snorted. "I'll rest when we no longer have enemies pressing in on us from all sides."

Dawnwhisker shook her head. "I'm not holed up in Mudfur's den anymore," she meowed. "I'm forcing you into your nest tonight!"

Leopardfur coughed out a laugh. "Good luck."

_Leopardfur's actually _laughing_?_ Firepaw thought, wide-eyed. _Minutes ago she wanted to throw me out of RiverClan!_ He shook his head a little. _I don't think I'll ever understand her._

They returned to a relatively quiet camp. Beechflower, who seemed to have begun his vigil early, nodded at them as they padded back in through the reeds. Those not out on patrol were lounging about, eating or sharing tongues. Crookedstar was laying outside his den with Silverstream, sharing a fish with her. He paused in his eating and glanced up at the returning patrol. "How did it go?" he asked.

Leopardfur glanced back at Firepaw and jerked her chin for him to follow. He gulped and padded along behind her as she approached Crookedstar. The deputy turned back towards him. "Not well," she said. "We ran into Deadfoot. He was… in the middle of a disagreement with some rogues, and Firepaw here—" She glared at him for emphasis— "Took it upon himself to attack."

Crookedstar looked appalled. "Firepaw," he asked, jaw hanging open. "You attacked Deadfoot?"

"What?" Firepaw blinked. "No!"

Leopardfur shook her head with a hiss of frustration. "No—he attacked the rogues, against my direct order to stand down. We were all forced to fight then."

Crookedstar frowned. He looked between the two cats, still appearing confused. Silverstream, who had been quiet until now, cleared her throat. "Leopardfur," she asked, softly. "Was Deadfoot being attacked by the rogues?"

Leopardfur blinked, as though surprised that Silverstream was questioning her. "No," Leopardfur replied. "He and the apprentice he was with were outnumbered, though."

Silverstream's whiskers twitched. "So they were in danger?"

Leopardfur's eyes narrowed. "Potentially…" she growled.

"And Firepaw…" Silverstream glanced at him thoughtfully. "Decided to defend them?"

"Yes." Leopardfur lashed her tail.

Silverstream's eyes had a certain gleam to them. "So what you're saying is… an apprentice was the first one to think that cats we need as allies would… need our help against intruders?"

_Silverstream's defending me?_ Firepaw thought. _I haven't talked to her much, but… I didn't think she really would._

Leopardfur curled her lip. "It was an uncertain situation," she growled. "I _ordered_ him to wait."

Crookedstar slowly pushed himself up until he was sitting. "Let's talk in my den," he suggested. "Just Leopardfur, please. Firepaw, I'll speak to you after." He stood up, turned towards his den, and beckoned with his tail for Leopardfur to follow as he padded inside.

Firepaw glanced uncertainly at Silverstream. "Should I just wait here?" he blurted.

Silverstream purred. The molly seemed amused by the whole ordeal. "You'll be fine," she promised. "Crookedstar has a hard time dishing out punishments, even when they're deserved." She inclined her chin towards the trout she had been sharing with Crookedstar. "Want a bite?"

Firepaw blinked. "But that's Crookedstar's meal."

Silverstream laughed. "Oh, that old glutton will just eat another with Graypool later. Come on, have a bite. Food always tastes better when eaten with someone else."

Firepaw didn't need a second invitation. He leaned in and pulled a small chunk of meat from the fish and chewed it slowly. He felt more at ease as he sat before Silverstream.

"How's your training going?" Silverstream asked, as she rolled the fish over with a paw to expose the uneaten side. "I feel like I haven't gotten much of a chance to talk to you."

Firepaw swallowed his mouthful of fish. "It's alright," he replied. "I was kind of a mess at first… but I'm getting better, I guess. I think I'm better at hunting than fighting… but I'm not amazing at either."

Silverstream nodded understandingly. "That's fine," she meowed. "Not everyone can be the best warrior at everything. Some cats are valuable to their Clan in other ways."

Firepaw tilted his head to the side. "Like how?"

"Well," Silverstream said. "Some are good storytellers, and they pass on our legends and history. Others are good companions, and will lend an ear to your problems. Some cats prefer to help out around the nursery instead of hunting and fighting." She flipped her tail before smiling teasingly. "Some exist just to stir up trouble and keep the rest of us entertained."

Firepaw knew she was joking, but he shrank back a bit anyway. "Do I get in _too_ much trouble?" he asked. "I know I shouldn't have disobeyed Leopardfur, but it didn't seem right to just let the rogues attack them."

Silverstream smiled. "You'll be fine, Firepaw," she repeated. "Everyone wants to get apprentices in some sort of trouble. You'll be a warrior soon enough and all this will be forgotten." She sighed softly. "_I_ think you're right, though," she said. "It's wrong to ignore cats suffering like that, and I think my father would agree, too. He'll work things out with Leopardfur and probably just take a little walk with you." She chuckled. "He puts on a big show of being strict, but he's a softie. He likes when I sleep in his den so he can cuddle up to me."

Firepaw couldn't help but laugh a little at the mental image of the big tom snuggling up with his daughter in his nest. "He seems nice," he meowed. "But other times he's pretty scary! Like when he yelled at Beetleclaw or chased out Brokenstar."

Silverstream nodded. "Oh, he's a terror when he's angry," she agreed. "But he calms down pretty easily."

They continued to eat for a little while. It wasn't long before Crookedstar emerged, Leopardfur trailing behind him. She looked irritated, but less furious than before. She glanced at Firepaw once before she sniffed and headed for the warriors' den.

Crookedstar stopped beside his daughter and glanced down at the remnants of his meal. It had become little more than fishbones and some scraps. He cast a horrified look at his daughter. "You gave away my food!" he gasped, feigning shock. "How can I trust a scoundrel like you?"

Silverstream rolled her eyes and shouldered her father. "Oh, you're so dramatic! How much have you eaten today already?"

Crookedstar shifted his gaze away. "Unimportant," he grunted. He glanced back to Firepaw and coughed slightly. "Now, Firepaw…" he meowed. "I understand that you didn't follow Leopardfur's given orders. Is that true?"

Firepaw's ears flattened. "Well… yes."

"Hmm." Crookedstar flicked his tail. "Considering the circumstances, I don't think it's as dire a situation as Leopardfur felt… had I been there myself, I would have done the same." He sighed. "However… you're an apprentice, and I can't just let everyone think they can disobey leadership whenever they feel like it."

Firepaw winced, shutting his eyes. _Here it comes…_

"So you'll be on kit-duty tomorrow," Crookedstar finished.

Firepaw opened an eye. "I'll what?"

"Oh," Crookedstar said, before he paused to yawn. "That's right, you don't know what that is… it's not too hard. You'll just watch Mallowtail's kits tomorrow. Give her a chance to stretch her legs and spend some time outside the nursery."

Firepaw lifted his head. Relief washed over him. _That's it?_

"Now," Crookedstar went on, adopting a stern tone. "It's very serious business. You'll have to make sure they don't wander out of camp or get into anything dangerous. But you'll probably have to spend the day entertaining and playing with them… it's hard work, Firepaw!"

Silverstream's lips were twitching. She was clearly trying to keep herself from laughing.

Firepaw nodded eagerly. "Th-thank you, Crookedstar!" he meowed. "I'm sorry for causing trouble."

Crookedstar looked solemn, but there was an amused glimmer in his eye. "Very good," he said. "Now, go get some rest. You'll need it."


	26. Chapter 24

Firepaw peered into the nursery. "Hello?" he called.

Brambleflower and Mallowtail were curled up in their nests, talking quietly. Both glanced up as he entered.

"Oh, Firepaw!" Mallowtail purred. "Come in, come in. Crookedstar told me you'd be watching my ruffians today."

As though to emphasize 'ruffians', Maplekit and Shellkit came rolling past Firepaw's paws. They were squealing and wrestling. Duckkit bounded after them, and pounced on Maplekit's tail.

"I'll get you, ThunderClan filth!" Maplekit yowled.

"You can't defeat me!" Shellkit retorted. "I'm Shellstar, leader of ThunderClan!"

Mallowtail gazed at them fondly. "They're a pawful." She stood up and stretched. "I'm be glad to be relieved for a bit!"

Brambleflower chuckled. "I hope mine aren't as wild as yours, Mallowtail. I don't know how we'll handle _two_ litters like this!"

Mallowtail nodded. "We can only hope." She waited for Brambleflower to rise, and then the pair of queens headed for the opening of the den.

Firepaw stepped aside for them. "Is anything I need to do?"

Mallowtail paused. "Well, just make sure they don't get into trouble. They're old enough to go out of the nursery by now, I think—"

A squeal of excitement came from Maplekit. "Really?"

Mallowtail purred. "Yes, Maplekit, you can go out now. But listen to everything Firepaw says and don't you dare leave camp!"

The kits paused in their mock battle to each nod solemnly.

"Very good," Mallowtail meowed. "Brambleflower and I will be back soon." With that, the queens left, and Firepaw was alone with the kits.

"Er… hello," Firepaw said. He twitched his tail. _I don't really know what to do now._

The kits seemed to have forgotten their game altogether. Shellkit gazed up at him wide-eyed. "You're Firepaw," he mewed.

Firepaw nodded and sat down. "That's me."

Duckkit tipped his head to the side. "What's a kittypet?" he asked. "Papa says that's what you are."

Firepaw shifted his paws awkwardly. "Um… it's a cat that lives with humans," he replied. "But I don't anymore."

The siblings inched closer. Maplekit pawed at him. "What's a human?"

Firepaw relaxed a little. _They're just curious, _he told himself. _They don't even know what a kittypet really is yet._ He furrowed his brow as he tried to put together ho to describe them. "They're these tall animals with no fur," he said. "They live in big dens and sometimes they keep animals to keep them company, like kittypets."

"Oh," Duckkit whispered. "Are they bad?"

Firepaw flipped his tail. "Well… sometimes," he meowed. "But they're usually not mean. Lots of them love cats. But they love _dogs_, too… and those are a pain."

"Ooh," Maplekit meowed. "What's a dog?"

Firepaw smiled a little. "They're animals that hate cats," he said. "They run around and bark at _everything_, and some of them are just tiny nuisances, but others are big and dangerous."

All the kits gasped. "Have you ever fought one?" Shellkit asked. "Have you fought a fox? Or a badger? Have you fought any ThunderClan cats? Papa says they're the _worst_!" The tiny tom bristled. "I can't wait to be an apprentice! I'll beat all the ThunderClan cats!"

"No, I will!" Maplekit argued. "_And_ I'm gonna be the leader!"

Firepaw laughed as Maplekit pounced on her brother again. Shellkit shoved her off and rolled his eyes. "I haven't seen any of those things," he went on. "But I _have_ fought ThunderClan cats before." He puffed out his chest a little. "Silverpaw and I fought Tigerclaw a bit in our last battle with them."

"Whoa!" Duckkit exclaimed. "Brambleflower says he's best fighter in ThunderClan! You must be _really_ tough!"

Firepaw shook his head. "Oh, I'm not _that_ great of a fighter… but Silverpaw was in trouble and somebody had to help him."

"Papa says Silverpaw has kittypet blood too," Shellkit remarked. "Did you live with him when you were a kittypet?"

_Huh?_ Firepaw frowned. "Uh… you must have heard that wrong. Silverpaw was born in RiverClan."

The kits hardly seemed to hear him. Maplekit was already headed for the opening of the den. "I wanna see camp!" she declared. "Mama said we could!"

Firepaw watched helplessly as the three suddenly went barreling out of the nursery. He hurried after them in time to see them run straight for the center of camp.

"WOW!" Shellkit exclaimed. "Everything is so _big_!"

Mosspaw and Shadepaw glanced up from a sunny spot near the reeds. The two sisters had been sharing tongues, but they paused to stare after the kits. "First time out?" Mosspaw purred.

"Yes!" Duckkit replied. "Firepaw is with us!"

Shadepaw smirked as she glanced towards him. "So, this is the great punishment you got, huh?"

Firepaw nodded, but couldn't help but smile as he looked back towards the kits. They were looking around at everything, wide-eyed and slack-jawed. _Was I ever like that?_ he wondered. He shook his head a little and padded after the kits, who now seemed interested in the pair of apprentices.

Maplekit bounded up to Mosspaw and Shadepaw. "Are you warriors?" she asked.

Mosspaw chuckled and shook her head. "No," she said. "But soon."

_I almost forgot about the assessment!_ Firepaw thought. "Aren't you being assessed today?"

Shadepaw shook her head. "We were going to, but Crookedstar isn't feeling well."

Firepaw frowned. _He seemed fine yesterday._ He felt a bit relieved, though—he would have missed out on participating it if they were doing it now. "Is he going to be okay?"

Mosspaw nodded. "I guess it's just his old bones acting up. Something about aches and pains."

_I hope he's alright._ Firepaw turned his attention back towards the kits. They resumed their play fighting once more, yowling about each was the leader of their own Clan.

He watched them without incident for some time. They seemed happy to entertain themselves, and only paused occasionally to ask who a cat was or demand to know what a passing bird was.

Around sun-high, more cats returned from patrols and lounged about camp, eating or talking in pairs. Everyone seemed to enjoy the sight of the young kits. Even Leopardfur smiled at them as she walked into camp with Silverstream and Voleclaw.

Eventually, the kits came padding back towards Firepaw. They were dusty and looked worn-out, but they clambered around him. "Tell us a story!" Duckkit demanded.

"Yes!" Maplekit mewed. "A really _good_ one!"

Firepaw frowned. "I don't really know any stories," he admitted. "Maybe you should go meet Graypool."

"No!" Shellkit meowed. "I want _you_ to tell us a story!"

"Yeah!" Duckkit and Maplekit agreed.

Firepaw shuffled his paws. "I guess I could tell you about how I got attacked by ThunderClan when I was younger. It was when I joined RiverClan."

The kits nodded eagerly. Firepaw flopped down on his side, and they laid around him, eyes wide. "Well," he said. "I was still a kittypet then. I didn't know anything about hunting or fighting, but I'd been having these dreams about hunting mice in the forest. So one morning I finally decided to go take a look around. My friend Smudge didn't want me to, because he heard that there were wildcats that eat bones in the forest."

Maplekit snorted. "We don't eat bones!" she protested.

Firepaw purred. "I know. I thought he was being silly, so I headed off to find a real mouse to catch. I ran into a ThunderClan apprentice pretty quickly, and we had a little scuffle." He smiled fondly at the thought of Graypaw. _I wonder if he's been made a warrior yet._ "We ended up talking for a while. He told me about Clan cats, but then _more_ ThunderClan cats showed up… and that's when things got ugly."

Shellkit pawed at him. "Were they scary? Mama says ThunderClan cats are big and mean."

Firepaw shuddered a little. "I don't know if they all are, but the ones I saw were. Thistlestar himself was there, and he wasn't happy to see me." He flicked his tail. "I mouthed off to him a little, because I didn't realize how dangerous he was. I'd never been in real fights with other cats around town, and most of the big cats like him were friendly enough."

He paused as the reeds rustled one more. Blackclaw slowly padded into camp. He was scowling, eyes flitting about nervously.

Firepaw frowned. _What's wrong with him?_

Then Thistlestar came padding into camp. Behind him was Tigerclaw and Ravenpaw, and then Sedgecreek and Grasspaw. The latter were both carrying fish—they must have been hunting when they ran into the ThunderClan cats.

Firepaw stiffened at the sight of Thistlestar. His heart began to pound. He was still unable to shake his fear of the mighty tom.

"Firepaw?" Duckkit meowed. "Who are those cats?"

Firepaw's mouth felt dry. "Those are ThunderClan cats," he said, quietly.

Leopardfur, who had been in the middle of a meal, glanced up at the newcomers. She curled her lip. "For StarClan's sake," she growled. "Can we get a day of peace?"

Firepaw drew the kits closer. He sat up, hackles rising. "Stay close," he growled. "That's Thistlestar himself."

Maplekit peered out from behind his leg. "He's so big!" she whispered.

Thistlestar nodded to Leopardfur. "I'm making good on my promise to visit," he meowed. "I have matters to discuss with Crookedstar."

Leopardfur flicked her tail. "You can discuss them with me. Crookedstar is resting."

Tigerclaw twitched his whiskers, looking amused. "Already envisioning yourself leader, Leopardfur?"

Leopardfur stared back evenly. "He doesn't want or need to be disturbed. Say what you came to say or leave."

Thistlestar looked over his shoulder towards Ravenpaw. "Come on," he grunted, with a jerk of his chin.

The little black tom looked nervous, but he bobbed his head and stepped forward. "H-hello," he said, quietly, dipping his head to Leopardfur. "I'm Ravenpaw, ma'am."

Leopardfur's frown deepened. "Why are you introducing me to an apprentice?"

Thistlestar sighed. "Spottedleaf was killed in that ShadowClan attack," he said. "ThunderClan has no medicine cat. We weren't sure who would fill her spot until Ravenpaw here—" he nudged the apprentice forward with a massive paw. "—Volunteered himself. The trouble is that we have no cat to train him."

"And?" Leopardfur asked. "You bring him here because…?"

"We would like to ask that Mudfur train him," Thistlestar grunted. "ShadowClan clearly won't be of help, and WindClan is too far."

Leopardfur stood up. She stared blankly at him. A long break of silence followed. The fur on her back began to rise. "You…" she drew her lips back, revealing her teeth. "You _kill_ one of my warriors…" her tail whipped. "You _refuse_ to follow through on the proper way to handle a situation of that sort…" she scored her claws across the soft earth. "And then you come into my camp and think to ask us to _help_ you train an apprentice?" Her words dropped with venom. "I know ThunderClan cats are dull, but you have no brains at all if you think you will receive that sort of help after what you've done!"

Thistlestar seemed mildly surprised, but his reaction was reserved. "My, my," he meowed. "You'd let us go without a medicine cat? Just after ThunderClan kits were slaughtered?"

Leopardfur parted her jaws to reply, but there was movement from Crookedstar's den, and both cats paused to turn towards it. Crookedstar padded out, limping slightly, looking irritated. "What in StarClan's name is going on? I take one day to myself and—" He paused as his gaze settled on the ThunderClan cats. He sighed to himself. "Thistlestar. Here to see me, I presume?"

"I hope I will have a bit more success speaking to you," Thistlestar grunted. "May we go to your den?"

Crookedstar nodded. The tom looked tired as he turned away towards the den. "You may bring your deputy with. Leopardfur, to my den."

Ravenpaw milled about uncertainly as both deputies exchanged wary looks and padded after their respective leader. He glanced about anxiously until he spotted Firepaw. A relieved look came over him and he rushed over. "Firepaw!" he meowed. "It's nice to see _someone_ I recognize. RiverClan camp is so _weird_… er, no offense." He ducked his head, looking even more embarrassed.

Firepaw smiled, feeling a bit more relaxed now that Thistlestar was out of view. "Good to see you, Ravenpaw."

Shellkit crept towards Ravenpaw. "Are you a ThunderClan cat?" he meowed. "I haven't heard of a Ravenpaw."

Ravenpaw smiled at the kit and nodded. "Yes," he said. "I'm an apprentice." He gave his chest a lick. "Hopefully a medicine cat apprentice, if Crookedstar asks Mudfur to train me."

The two toms didn't talk much as they waited. The kits, sensing any trouble had passed, left Firepaw's side and resumed their playing. Every so often Ravenpaw would quietly fidget or give himself a quick wash, which Firepaw took to be some sort of nervous habit.

Eventually, the cats returned to the outside camp. Their conversation hadn't lasted long, but all seemed surprisingly cheerful—save for Leopardfur, of course, but even she looked less agitated than usual.

_They must have talked about something else, too, _Firepaw reasoned. _Or Leopardfur would be ripping the whiskers off of somebody's face._

Thistlestar beckoned to Ravenpaw with his tail, and the small tom jumped to his paws and hurried towards his leader. They talked for a brief moment, and Crookedstar glanced over towards Firepaw. "Take Ravenpaw here to Mudfur's den," he meowed. "I'll watch the kits for a bit."

Thistlestar and Tigerclaw both muttered their goodbyes before departing. Firepaw was surprised. _Are they not going to wait for him?_ he wondered.

Ravenpaw returned quickly to him. "Crookedstar agreed!" he purred. "Now hopefully Mudfur will too."

Crookedstar padded towards them slowly. "Come here, kits," he meowed. "Who wants to hear a story?"

"Me!" Maplekit exclaimed, before bounding towards him. Her brothers followed, and Crookedstar flopped down just in time to have them launch themselves on top of him.

Firepaw and Ravenpaw exchanged an amused look, before Firepaw stood and flicked his tail for Ravenpaw to follow. "The den's this way," he meowed. He led Ravenpaw across camp towards Mudfur and Yellowfang's den, then stuck his head in. "Mudfur?" he called.

The two medicine cats were sharing a large fish. Both looked up after he called. "Yes?" Mudfur replied. "Do you need something, Firepaw?"

Firepaw padded into the den. Ravenpaw came in a heartbeat later and stood beside him.

"I'm Ravenpaw," the other tom meowed. "I've come to ask that you train me to be a medicine cat. Spottedleaf is dead and ThunderClan has no medicine cat, so…"

"So you're the unlucky sap that got stuck with the job?" Yellowfang asked, eyeing him suspiciously.

"No!" Ravenpaw quickly shook his head. "I want to learn."

Mudfur looked thoughtful. "It would be wrong to refuse," he said. "Medicine cats exist outside Clan boundaries." He nodded. "If StarClan accepts you at the Moonstone, then we will train you."

Ravenpaw's eyes widened with relief. "Really? Thank you!"

Yellowfang looked only mildly displeased. "I've already trained an apprentice, and now I've got to train another?"

"I won't be a bother," Ravenpaw promised. "I'll work hard, I promise."

Mudfur glanced at Firepaw. "You can leave us," he said. "We'll work out the details between ourselves."

Firepaw nodded quickly before backing out of the den. He turned around to see the kits laying between Crookedstar's paws, gazing up at him.

"...and so, the mighty Leopard chased the boars away from the river," Crookedstar was saying. "She cleared the land here of them, making it safe for—" he broke off and glanced at Firepaw. "Ah. I'm telling them the story of Leopard." He gave Firepaw a sly wink. "You could take a break from kit-watching and eat something, if you'd like. I don't mind spending a few moments with these youngsters."

Firepaw dipped his head gratefully. "Thank you, Crookedstar!" He turned away as Crookedstar's story continued.

"Leopard chased the boars away, making the land safe for all good beasts..."

"What's a boar?" Maplekit squeaked.

"I want to fight one!" Duckkit blurted.

Firepaw chuckled and padded off, glad for the moment's rest.


	27. Chapter 25

Firepaw awoke to some cat shaking him. He grunted and rolled over before he opened one eye. Grasspaw was standing over him, tail twitching. "Huh?" Firepaw mumbled. "What's going on?"

"Come on!" Grasspaw meowed. "Mosspaw, Shadepaw, and Silverpaw are having their assessment today. We're helping with the exercise, remember?"

Firepaw nodded before he shifted and sat up slowly. "Am I the last one awake?" he asked, before yawning loudly.

Grasspaw nodded. "You better hurry—Silverpaw and Weaselfoot are already being snide about it."

Firepaw rolled his eyes. _Of course they are._ "Let's go, then."

Grasspaw led the way out of the apprentices' den. All the other mentors and apprentices had already grouped together, along with Crookedstar and Leopardfur. Silverpaw scowled at Firepaw and muttered something to Weaselfoot, who nodded.

_Stupid furball, _Firepaw thought. The upside to Beechflower having been made a warrior was that Blackclaw was no longer there to add to Firepaw's tormenting—but Silverpaw did enough of that on his own to still make this sort of training unbearable.

Dawnwhisker was quick to come to Firepaw's side. "Ignore them," she whispered. "They want to get under your pelt and throw you off. Don't let them."

After a moment, Firepaw relaxed his shoulders and nodded. _She's right._

"Everyone ready?" Crookedstar asked.

"Are you kidding?" Mosspaw asked, tail lashing. "Let's _go_!"

Crookedstar chuckled before he headed for the reeds. He flicked his tail for the others to follow as he padded through them.

_It's a big group,_ Firepaw thought, as he padded alongside Dawnwhisker. _But once this is over, it might just be Minkpaw and Grasspaw and I in the den._

They began to head upriver. Leopardfur began to explain the task. "This challenge is serving as part of Mosspaw, Shadepaw, and Silverpaw's assessment. The rules are simple—you three will be RiverClan warriors, while Firepaw, Minkpaw, and Grasspaw will be intruders in the territory. It will be their goal to make it across the border without being captured, which the three of you will obviously be trying to stop. The intruders will start out near the gorge, towards the edge of the territory, and will have to flee across the bridge."

Crookedstar cleared his throat. "Now, this is a training challenge, but it is still exactly that—training. Claws sheathed. You may use whatever tactics you want otherwise to catch the intruders, but they must be pinned completely." He glanced back at the apprentices. "That goes for both sides. Understood?"

Firepaw tossed a glare in Silverpaw's direction. _I'm not the one he should be worried about._ He nodded along with the other apprentices.

"Do we fail the assessment altogether if we don't catch them?" Mosspaw asked. She sounded a bit worried.

Crookedstar shook his head. "Good question. No. We'll watch as best we can and see how you work to find them. Even warriors fail sometime. Just do your best."

"That being said, don't make it too easy for them," Leopardfur added. "Silverpaw, Mosspaw, and Shadepaw—you will all pick one of the other apprentices to target. If you do not catch them, you fail the challenge. Who will you each pick?"

Shadepaw was the first to answer. "Minkpaw."

Firepaw frowned. He glanced at Minkpaw, who looked oddly embarrassed. _Minkpaw always seems to go easy on her in training, _he thought. _Is that why? _

Silverpaw replied hardly a heartbeat after. "Firepaw." His tone was cold.

Firepaw's eyes narrowed. _Bring it on, fox-heart._

* * *

Dawnwhisker sat beside Firepaw. They were near a large boulder, just a few fox-lengths away from the gorge. This was the northernmost part of the territory. The older apprentices were headed off to wait a bit behind Firepaw and the others, likely to give them a head start.

"Don't make it too easy for Silverpaw," Dawnwhisker meowed. "I know you're capable of making it a real challenge."

Firepaw nodded. "I will, I promise." He would show Silverpaw he wasn't as weak as he thought.

Dawnwhisker straightened up and smiled. "I'm proud of you, Firepaw," she meowed. "You've grown up so much from that frightened kit I dragged through the river. You'll make a fine warrior someday."

Firepaw beamed at his mentor's praise. His heart brimmed with pride. _It's nice to know someone believes in me._ "Thanks, Dawnwhisker," he purred. "You've taught me a lot."

Crookedstar padded up to them. "It's time to begin. Ready?"

Firepaw stood up and nodded. "Ready."

Minkpaw and Grasspaw joined him. The mentors backed away. "I'll see you later," Dawnwhisker meowed. "Good luck!" She and the others headed off into the grass.

_Heading off to find places to watch,_ Firepaw figured. He watched them go until they were out of sight.

Minkpaw's tail flicked nervously. "Do you think they'll be able to catch us all?"

Grasspaw glanced coyly at her. "Worried about being beaten by Shadepaw?"

"No!" Minkpaw hurriedly replied. She flattened her ears. "I… just don't want to look bad, that's all." A heartbeat later, she fluffed out her fur, looking rather indignant. "Besides, this is a challenge for us, too!"

Firepaw twitched his whiskers. _It's not like her to get all flustered over training,_ he thought. _But I get why. They _have _been training longer than us. Shadepaw is great at… well, she's pretty much great at everything. Mosspaw's a better hunter, but she's not bad at fighting. And Silverpaw..._ He flicked his tail at the thought of Silverpaw. _I guess he's good at fighting, but he's hot-headed and arrogant, too._

"Get ready," Crookedstar meowed. "Remember, it's downriver to the bridge and across it. That's all you've got to do."

Firepaw stood between Minkpaw and Grasspaw. He sized up the landscape before him. He hadn't spent much time in this part of RiverClan territory, but, then again, neither did most of the Clan outside of the occasional patrol. There were few trees, and the odd boulder, but there was little cover other than the tall grass. _There's the horses and sheep, too,_ he reminded himself.

Firepaw took a breath. He was determined to beat Silverpaw. The arrogant furball had treated him horribly in his time in RiverClan, and this was his chance to prove himself. _Even if I don't beat him… I'm not going to go down without a fight._

Crookedstar sat down. "I'm sure your mentors have said this already, but don't make it easy for them."

Each apprentice nodded. They knew this was as much of a test for them as it was for the others.

"Ready…"

Firepaw braced himself. _I ran all the way through ThunderClan,_ he thought. _I can do this._

"Go!"

At his order, they all leaped forward and took off. Firepaw charged into the thick grass. Immediately, Grasspaw veered off into the taller grasses. Minkpaw overtook Firepaw quickly, and soon her thick black tail was all he could see of her ahead of him.

Leopardfur's yowl split the air, and Firepaw jolted. _That's the signal for the others! I thought we'd have a bit longer!_

From behind, he heard the sounds of paws thudding on the earth as the older apprentices began their pursuit. Firepaw pushed himself harder, putting on an extra burst of speed. He tried to keep his head low as he ran, but he realized after a few heartbeats that the position was too awkward and it did nothing to hide his movement in the grass.

Thinking quickly, Firepaw skidded to a halt and panted. He angled his ears back and heard crashing through the grass behind him. He would need to move quickly, or he would be the first to be caught.

Firepaw veered off from his original path, heading to his right. He travelled quickly, but tried to resist the urge to run—it would make his position too obvious. He was headed for the grazing site of the sheep. He would be more visible among them in the short grass, but it would prevent Silverpaw from outright charging after him, or he would spook the sheep and put them both in danger.

The sheep came into view quickly. There was a small group of them grazing quietly. _Easy, now…_ Firepaw thought. He crept towards them, heading directly towards the group rather than around them.

The sheep seemed unbothered by his approach. A few lifted their heads and sniffed at him as he walked by, but they returned to their eating with ease. Firepaw would be lying if he said that heading right through the herd wasn't nerve wracking, but he gained confidence as he went on.

He only jumped once when a sheep bleated right in his face, and the strange animal jolted backwards in response, but it quickly trotted a few paces away to find somewhere else to eat. Firepaw sighed in relief. _Thank StarClan these things are docile!_

He eventually reached the end of the grazing site, and he risked a glance behind him. Firepaw frowned after studying the scene for a few long moments. _No sign of Silverpaw, _he thought. _That's strange. Maybe he went around them?_ Firepaw shook his head and carried on. This was a good sign. He had thrown Silverpaw off his trail. Hope sparked in his chest. _I might just have a shot at beating him after all._

The grasses grew taller, and the musk of the sheep faded away. Firepaw's mouth watered as he scented grouse and quail, but he quickly pushed the thoughts away. _I'll eat when I'm home,_ he thought, trying to ignore the rumble in his belly. _I wish I had time to eat earlier, though._ He picked up the pace and began to run once more. _Can't waste time,_ he thought. _I put some distance between us, but if I'm not careful, he'll catch up._

Firepaw, however, never ran into Silverpaw. He stopped once as he heard Minkpaw screech from far behind him—Shadepaw must have found her. He was spurred on by it. _Hurry!_ He told himself. _I can't be far._

Firepaw pricked his ears as he heard the rushing river ahead. _I'm so close!_ He raced on ahead. _The bridge is just_—_yes!_ The gorge and the bridge came into view as the grasses became shorter. _I'm going to make it!_

There wasn't any sight or sound of Silverpaw. Firepaw ran until his paws touched the stone surface of the bridge. _Yes! I made it!_

But as Firepaw reached the middle of the bridge, a fearsome yowl came from the other side. Firepaw skidded to a halt and nearly jumped in the air. _What was_—

Silverpaw came racing out from the undergrowth on the other side of the gorge. Before Firepaw realized what was happening, the tom had leaped for him and rammed into him at full force.

Firepaw screeched as his skull cracked against the hard surface of the bridge. Silverpaw slammed his paws on Firepaw's chest and held him there.

"Fox-heart!" Firepaw spat, and swung out at Silverpaw. He struck him directly in the face, and the other apprentice shook his head. Firepaw twisted free and tried to stand, but Silverpaw swiped at him. His claws ripped through Firepaw's cheek.

"You cheater!" Firepaw hissed as he skipped back. He growled in frustration as he realized Silverpaw was just pushing him back the way he'd come.

Silverpaw curled his lip. "I knew you'd try to be clever, fox-dung, so I came straight for the bridge. Took you long enough to finally get here!" The tom leaped again, claws outstretched, and Firepaw sidestepped. Silverpaw landed hard on his paws and skidded a bit. Firepaw turned to face him, but Silverpaw threw his weight forward and lashed out with both hind legs. One connected sharply with his jaw, and Firepaw stumbled back, dazed.

Hissing quietly, Firepaw shook his head, trying to clear the pain. Silverpaw flew at him again, and he could do nothing as Silverpaw knocked him down once more. Firepaw expected the pain of the bridge again, but he felt only cold fear as he realized there was nothing but air beneath his head. He was on the very edge of the bridge now, his head hanging off the side.

"Silverpaw!" Firepaw cried, eyes wide. "Get off of me! I give up! You win, okay?"

Silverpaw snarled down at him. His eyes were narrowed to slits. "Why should I?" he demanded. "Kittypets have done nothing but ruin my life! Now I'll ruin yours, too."

"What?" Firepaw swallowed as he stared back at his adversary in confusion. "What do you _mean_? Just talk to me!"

Silverpaw curled his lip. "You don't care!" he retorted. "All you've done is ruin things since you've got here. All you're ever going to _do_ is ruin things. I'm doing RiverClan a favor by getting rid of you!"

_Getting rid of me?_ Firepaw's heart pounded harder as Silverpaw's claws dug into his chest. _If I try and fight, I might just fall… or he'll shove me off._ "Just talk to me," he repeated. He had to strain his neck to keep his head upright. The thundering of the rapids was loud in his ears, even though the river lay far beneath him. "Tell me why you hate me so much."

Silverpaw let out another hiss. Firepaw stared back at him. Despite the fierce look on his face, Firepaw could see doubt in his eyes. Much to his surprise, Silverpaw spoke.

"My mother barely raised me," Silverpaw growled. "Do you know why? She took a kittypet as a mate, and then that same kittypet murdered her in cold blood when she had me. I was hardly a moon old when a patrol found traces of her blood and fur on the edge of our territory!" His eyes burned with rage. "Some say she tried to ask her mate to take _me_ as a kittypet. Kittypets are selfish and think of nothing but themselves!"

_What?_ Firepaw furrowed his brow. "I—I thought Mosspaw and Shadepaw were your sisters."

"Not by blood," Silverpaw spat. "They're no blood kin of mine, but cats were _fine_ with overlooking my horrible heritage before _you_ came along and reminded them how useless kittypets are!"

Firepaw hissed as Silverpaw's claws dug deeper into his chest. "Silverpaw," he growled through clenched teeth. "You're not a killer."

"Don't tell me what I am!" Silverpaw snapped. "I'm helping RiverClan. I'm doing the right thing. I—"

But before he could push Firepaw anymore, a piercing shriek of a kit rang out, followed by a dog's bark.

Silverpaw stiffened completely. His jaws parted slightly, and his gaze slid back down towards Firepaw. Firepaw could see him swallow, and then something flashed across his face—_shame_.

A few still moments passed. Very slowly, Silverpaw sheathed his claws and stepped off of Firepaw. His eyes seemed clouded and distant, as though the magnitude of what he had nearly done was only now setting in. Firepaw hurriedly rolled fully back onto the bridge and stood.

The pair stared back at each other for a few heartbeats. Then came another bark.

"Silverpaw," Firepaw meowed. "There's a kit in danger. We have to go."

Silverpaw hesitated before he nodded. "Y—yes." His tail was low. "You're right."

The barking had come from across the bridge. Firepaw padded past Silverpaw without looking at him. "Come on."

The barking began to pick up in frequency, and another frantic cry came. The two toms broke into a run across the bridge. On the other side, past a few thickets of brambles, was a short sapling. Two kits were clinging to thin branches as high as they could get, while a scruffy-looking dog barked at them. It jumped a few times, trying to catch them, but its jaws snapped at air every time.

Firepaw's eyes widened as he recognized the kits. "It's Maplekit and Shellkit!"

"Help!" Shellkit wailed. "Help!"

Silverpaw snapped back into attention. "We're coming!" he yowled. They charged for the dog. "Hey! Dung-face! Pick on some cats your own size!"

The dog whipped around to face them. It barked loudly before it abandoned the tree to bound towards them.

"I'll go for the face, you go for the tail!" Silverpaw shouted, and Firepaw nodded firmly. There was no time for bickering or rivalry—the only thing that mattered was saving the kits, and both toms knew it.

Firepaw feinted around the dog as Silverpaw slashed at its face. Firepaw pounced and sank his teeth into the dog's thin tail. The wiry hair was repulsive, but Firepaw bit down as hard as he could and felt bone.

The dog yipped loudly and tried to turn to snap at Firepaw, but Silverpaw slashed at its nose and drew blood. As the dog yelped in confusion, Firepaw slashed at its flank while Silverpaw delivered another blow to its face.

Suddenly, the dog leaned forward and snatched Silverpaw in its jaws by his back. It lifted the apprentice clean off the ground and shook him wildly about like a piece of dead prey.

Without thinking, Firepaw leaped for the dog's back and landed on top of it. "Leave him alone, badger-breath!" As he dug his claws into the dog's shoulders, he bit into one soft ear and tasted blood.

The dog snapped in pain and recoiled, dropping Silverpaw. The other tom landed with a thud and did not move. The dog shook itself, trying to dislodge Firepaw. Firepaw just pulled back harder on the dog's ear and bit down with all his might.

The dog squealed as it bucked, and Firepaw released it and leaped away. He landed heavily on all fours and hissed at the dog. The dog glanced at him uncertainly before it yipped once more and took off towards ShadowClan land, tail tucked between its legs.

Firepaw panted heavily before he straightened up and approached Silverpaw. "S… Silverpaw?" he meowed. "You okay?"

The silver tabby was sprawled out on the ground, legs splayed at all angles. Blood welled where the dog had bit him. Silverpaw let out a groan. "Hurts…" he trembled for a moment, eyes clenched. "I think… think I'll be okay." He opened one eye to stare up at Firepaw. "Why did you save me?" he asked, quietly. "I almost… you know."

Firepaw frowned. _I didn't think about it,_ he thought. _I just reacted._ "Because you're my Clanmate," he replied. "We don't have to like each other for that to be true."

Silverpaw grunted his acknowledgement before another hiss of pain escaped him. Firepaw turned away to check on the state of kits, and he heard Silverpaw murmur something. "Thank you, Firepaw."

Firepaw blinked in surprise. _I don't think I've ever actually heard Silverpaw call me by name._ He glanced over his shoulder. "You're welcome," he replied. "I'm just going to help the kits down, and we'll go home."

He froze as he heard paws thudding on the surface of the bridge. _Someone's in a hurry. _

Crookedstar and Leopardfur came into view as they reached the other side. The pair raced towards them.

"What happened?" Crookedstar demanded. "I heard barking and screeching. Was there a dog?" He glanced up in the tree. "What in StarClan's name are Mallowtail's kits doing here?"

"I smell _blood_," Leopardfur growled. She halted in front of Silverpaw, and her eyes widened. "StarClan… what happened to—"

"I'm alive," Silverpaw growled. "We were fighting on the bridge when we heard the dog."

Firepaw nodded. _I don't need to tell them about what he almost did._ "We stopped and came here to fight off the dog. You just missed it. It got Silverpaw pretty bad, though."

Crookedstar was quiet for a moment. "Leopardfur," he meowed. "Go find the nearest mentors and bring them to help Silverpaw. He doesn't look like he's going to have an easy time walking."

Leopardfur nodded quickly and took off for the bridge once more. Crookedstar glanced at Firepaw. "You both showed great courage in taking on a dog together. I'm glad you were able to put your differences aside for the good of the kits."

"Yeah?" Maplekit meowed. She seemed completely unaffected by the ordeal. "Get us down, then!"

Crookedstar glanced up at the kits. "As for you two, I'm sure your mother will have some punishment for you when you get home. Kits are not meant to leave camp!"

"We just wanted to watch the assessment!" Shellkit protested.

Crookedstar looked stern. "And look what happened! You could have been killed by a dog, and Silverpaw himself nearly died saving you."

Shellkit hung his head and nodded, but Maplekit still looked indignant.

_At least they're safe,_ Firepaw thought. _That's all that matters._ But with a glance at Silverpaw, he wondered, _Will he still be made a warrior? I know Crookedstar said failing didn't necessarily mean not being one… but the assessment wasn't even finished._

* * *

Firepaw tiredly bit into his trout. He was utterly exhausted by the day's events, and he wanted nothing more than to throw himself in his nest and sleep until next summer. However, the ceremony was due to happen at any moment, and so he had to wait.

Crookedstar leapt on top of the flat stone and let out a yowl. "All cats old enough to swim gather for a Clan meeting!"

Firepaw lifted his chin. _That's it, then._ He glanced towards the medicine cat den. Silverpaw was sitting outside of it, cobwebs plastered to his pelt. _At least he's able to walk, _Firepaw thought. _But is Crookedstar going to make him a warrior?_

Firepaw remained by his meal as he watched his Clanmates gathered around. The kits had been returned to the nursery, and were nowhere to be seen - Mallowtail was likely in the middle of berating them profusely for sneaking off and nearly getting killed.

Crookedstar's gaze scanned the clearing. "Mosspaw and Shadepaw, please step forward."

Firepaw couldn't help but feel bad for Silverpaw. _That's so unfair,_ he thought. Silverpaw hung his head. He knew that by all reason he should be glad that Silverpaw wasn't going to be a warrior—but he only felt pity for the other apprentice. _He didn't want to kill me,_ he thought. _Not really. He's just been so angry for so long… and it's hard to blame him. I'd never heard about his father before._

The sisters padded forward, tails lifted high in the air. "Petalstream and Beetleclaw," Crookedstar meowed. "Have these young cats completed their assessments to your satisfaction?"

"Yes," Beetleclaw replied.

"They both did well," Petalstream agreed.

"Then I, Crookedstar, leader of RiverClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in return." Crookedstar looked down at the two mollies. "Shadepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Shadepaw nodded firmly. "I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name," Crookedstar said. "Shadepaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Shadefang. StarClan honors your strength and hunting ability, and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan."

Shadefang dipped her head gratefully and stepped aside to sit beside Beetleclaw.

Crookedstar turned to Mosspaw. "Mosspaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do!" Mosspaw eagerly replied.

Crookedstar nodded. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Mosspaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Mossfrost. StarClan honors your loyalty and dependability, and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan."

Before the Clan could begin to cheer, Crookedstar straightened up and spoke. "Before this meeting can end, there are two more cats who must be made warriors today."

_Two?_ Firepaw blinked. He chewed curiously on his mouthful of trout. _Who is the other cat?_

"Silverpaw and Firepaw!" Crookedstar called. "Please come forward."

_Me?_ Firepaw nearly choked on his food in shock. He hurriedly swallowed as he stood and padded towards him. A few cats stepped aside. Some looked surprised, but others, like Dawnwhisker and Silverstream, nodded approvingly.

Silverpaw limped towards them. He took a bit longer to reach Crookedstar, but his eyes were bright with pride. He shared a surprised glance with Firepaw.

Crookedstar cleared his throat. "Though your assessment was not completed, Silverpaw," Crookedstar began. "You and Firepaw showed admirable courage in leaving it behind to save Mallowtail's kits. You fought bravely _together_—something I certainly never expected to see in my lifetime—"

A ripple of amused purrs went through the Clan, and both toms shuffled their paws in embarrassment. Their rivalry had certainly been a public one.

"—But you both impressed me very much today, and so you both shall be made warriors. Silverpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Silverpaw lifted his chin. "I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name," Crookedstar said. "From this moment on, you will be known as Silverthorn. "StarClan honors your strength and motivation."

Crookedstar glanced at Firepaw. "Firepaw," he meowed. "You came to us an injured kittypet, but you have proved that you belong here as much as anyone else. There is no doubt in my mind that you deserve to earn your warrior name. Do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Firepaw swore. Warm pride rushed through him as the moment began to hit him. _I'm really becoming a warrior!_ His tail quivered with excitement, and it took all his self-control not to flick it about with glee.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. From this moment on, you will be known as Fireheart. StarClan honors your kindness and morality."

_Fireheart,_ he thought. _I'm Fireheart._ He wasn't sure he understood its meaning, but he liked the sound of it, and he grinned happily.

Crookedstar stepped back, and the Clan erupted into cheers. "Shadefang! Mossfrost! Silverthorn! Fireheart!"

RiverClan began to crowd around the new warriors, purring and congratulating.

"Well done, Mossfrost!"

"I knew you'd be named Shadefang!"

"No clue what 'thorn' is supposed to mean, but doesn't it sound cool?"

Dawnwhisker was first to reach Fireheart. She was beaming from ear-to-ear. "I certainly didn't expect my apprentice to become a warrior today!" she purred. "I'm so proud of you."

Fireheart grinned at his former mentor. "I couldn't have done it without you," he replied.

Dawnwhisker flicked him with her tail. "No cat can doubt your courage now," she meowed. "And there's someone else who wants to talk to you, too."

As though on cue, Mallowtail pushed her way through the crowd. "Fireheart!" she exclaimed. The ginger-and-white molly stopped before him and butted her head against his shoulder with the force of a badger. Fireheart nearly stumbled over, but he held his balance and smiled at the queen. "Thank StarClan you found my kits," she breathed, her eyes warm with joy. Behind her, Whiteclaw was sidling closer, frowning. She glanced back at him. "Get over here, minnow-brain!" she chided. "There's someone you need to thank."

Whiteclaw stiffly padded closer and stared at Fireheart. The tom huffed out a gruff sigh, clearly uncomfortable. "Thanks." he muttered.

Mallowtail rolled her eyes. "Toms!" She caught Fireheart's eye again and smiled. "Thank you, Fireheart. To think what would have happened if you and Silverthorn hadn't found Maplekit and Shellkit..." she shuddered. "They won't be leaving the nursery for the next moon, you can be sure of that!" She shook her head. "You're a fine warrior, Fireheart. You deserve your name."

Fireheart dipped his head, beginning to feel a little embarrassed by the praise. "I did what anyone else would have," he meowed.

Beechflower appeared and shouldered Fireheart roughly from the side, startling him and nearly knocking him clean off his paws again. "Hey, furball!" he purred. "Just had to show everyone else up by fighting a dog, huh?"

Fireheart laughed and butted his head against his friend's shoulder. "I'm just glad we'll be patrolling together again."

Beechflower grinned. "Life as a warrior is great!" he meowed. "Much more fun than training all day."

Leopardfur stepped through the crowd to address them. "Good work, all of you," she meowed. "You are to hold a silent vigil until sunrise tomorrow morning. You may rejoin your Clan as warriors then." She flicked her tail. "Take your posts at the camp entrance."

Beechflower flicked Fireheart with his tail. "Have fun. It's a long night. I'll put together a nest for you, though!"

Fireheart grinned gratefully at him before he padded away to stand at the reed-bed. A few moments later, Silverthorn joined him. They were both silent, but for a heartbeat, they shared a glance, then nodded and looked away.

_I don't think we'll ever be friends,_ Fireheart thought. _But we're Clanmates, and we'll always be Clanmates. I think Silverthorn knows that now._


	28. Chapter 26

Fireheart blinked a few times as the sun began to rise, casting warm sunshine down on his face. Though they were late into spring, the night had been a cold one, and he fluffed out his pelt a bit to relish the warmth.

Silverthorn was sitting no more than a fox-length away. He had nodded off a few times throughout the night—though Fireheart hardly blamed him. _I'm surprised they had him hold vigil at all while he's still recovering._

Mossfrost and Shadefang were seated farther down the reeds, leaning on each other. Both sisters looked as though they might fall asleep at any moment, but they would silently nudge the other if one began to close her eyes. They both lifted their heads in unison as there was a stirring from across camp. Fireheart followed their gaze to the warriors' den.

Leopardfur was padding outside. The molly paused to stretch before she crossed camp and headed towards them. She dipped her head before she meowed, "Your vigil is done. You may speak."

Mossfrost was the first to talk. "Oh, thank StarClan," she mumbled. "I'm so tired, I could sleep for a moon!"

"My thoughts exactly," Silverthorn muttered. He twisted around to sniff at his bites. "At least my bites haven't turned sour."

Leopardfur twitched her tail. "Well, you're free to do as you like. Some of the other warriors made up nests for you, or you may eat. I'll keep you off patrols until the evening so you can rest."

"Thanks," Fireheart yawned. His stomach grumbled quietly, but exhaustion was more pressing. _I'll eat after a nap._ "I'm headed to the den."

"Me too," Shadefang agreed. "It's strange to think we won't ever be sleeping in the apprentices' den again."

Fireheart blinked. The thought had yet to cross his mind. "Hopefully the Warriors' Den will be more comfortable," he meowed. "Or I'll go back to the other one!"

Mossfrost laughed. "I think Beechflower would have been back in the Apprentices' Den if he wasn't comfortable."

_Beechflower!_ Fireheart thought. _We'll be sharing a den again._ The thought made him smile.

Leopardfur looked almost amused by their talk. "Well, get some rest. But," she added, with a glance at Silverthorn. "You should check in with Mudfur first. Then you can sleep."

Silverthorn grunted his acknowledgement. The tabby stood stiffly and began to limp across camp.

Fireheart rose and took a moment to stretch out each limb. His muscles were stiff from sitting for long. He was about to head for the den when a fresh scent his nose and he heard pawsteps. _ThunderClan!_ he realized. "There's a ThunderClan cat coming!" he growled.

Leopardfur nodded. "I'm expecting him."

_Huh?_ Fireheart frowned. The reeds trembled and shifted as a cat stepped through. He was a dark tabby with a thick tail, and a limp squirrel swung in his jaws. _It's Darkstripe. What's he doing here?_

Darkstripe narrowed his eyes at Fireheart before he sniffed and walked towards Leopardfur. He bent down and dropped it at her paws. "Here," he muttered.

Leopardfur twitched her whiskers. "Good," she replied. Her voice was even as always. "Thistlestar informed you of the terms?"

"I'm hunting until the next Gathering," Darkstripe growled. "I get it."

"Be glad it isn't longer," Leopardfur snapped, irritation creeping into her tone. "You should never have tried to evade paying for Sunwhisker's death."

Darkstripe just looked angry. "Whatever," he spat, before he turned and hurried back outside the camp. With a swish of his tail, he was gone again.

Fireheart stared curiously at Leopardfur. "What was that about?"

Leopardfur sniffed at the squirrel. "Part of our deal with Thistlestar," she explained. "We will help them fight ShadowClan and train Ravenpaw in exchange for Darkstripe hunting to atone for killing Sunwhisker."

_Fight ShadowClan?_ Fireheart blinked. _WindClan won't help, so we turn to our enemy?_ He shook his head. Clan politics still confused him to no end. He turned himself away and headed across camp. Fireheart padded into the den and paused as his eyes adjusted to the dimmer den.

The den was full of the Clan's warriors. Most were asleep, but a few were sharing tongues or murmuring in low voices. None paid him any heed as he padded around the edge of the den. Fireheart headed towards Beechflower, who was curled up near Silverstream. He prodded his friend.

"Mrrh?" Beechflower swiveled his head in Fireheart's direction and blinked. "Huh?"

"Where's my nest?" Fireheart asked.

Beechflower grunted and flicked his tail towards an empty space beside him, then laid his head down and covered it with a paw. Fireheart rolled his eyes before he settled down in the spot. Once he was comfortable, sleep came quickly.

* * *

Fireheart padded out of the Warriors' Den with a yawn. He had slept through most of the day, as had the other new warriors, and it was now nearing dusk. Fireheart's stomach was rumbling, and he quickly headed for the fresh-kill pile. He sat down for a moment to see what was on the pile before he selected a trout. He was about to turn away and find somewhere to sit when a voice called out.

"Hey!" Silverstream meowed. "Fireheart! Come eat with us." She was seated off to the side of camp with Beechflower, Dawnwhisker, and Frogleap.

Fireheart blinked and padded over. He sat down between Beechflower and Dawnwhisker with a bob of his head in greeting, then set his meal between his paws.

Dawnwhisker flicked him with her tail. "How does it feel to finally be a warrior?" she asked.

"Great!" Fireheart purred. "Especially now that I've slept."

Frogleap chuckled. "I remember my vigil," the tom meowed. "I was exhausted, and _I_ had to do mine in the middle of winter! I thought my paws would freeze off."

Silverstream shuddered. "Mine was near the end of winter too. I'd never been so cold!"

Beechflower grinned as he swallowed a mouthful of his own fish. "You were totally covered in snow when you got to leave your post."

Fireheart shivered at the thought. "Well, I'm glad I didn't have to do that." He bent down and tore off a chunk of the trout.

"What were we talking about, again?" Frogleap asked.

"Skyheart," Dawnwhisker reminded him. "She's surely expecting, right?"

Beechflower nodded. "She's got to be. She and Reedtail have been together long enough! I'm surprised there weren't already kits."

Frogleap twitched his tail. "She _could_ just be putting on a little extra weight… the fishing has been good lately."

Fireheart was surprised by the gossip. He had never heard the warriors speak like this to each other—but he supposed that he was privy to this sort of conversation now that he _was_ a warrior himself. He swallowed, before he blurted, "Skyheart's pregnant?"

"Not so loud!" Beechflower meowed. "But that's what we're wondering, yes."

Fireheart frowned. _I don't really see much of Skyheart. I guess I wouldn't have noticed if she was expecting._

"She's a bit old to have kits," Frogleap meowed. "Hopefully she takes it easy if she is."

Dawnwhisker looked sly as she leaned towards Silverstream. "What about _you_?" she asked, a teasing note in her voice. "Any kits on the horizon?"

Both Silverstream and Beechflower became very interested in their own paws. "I—I have no idea what you mean!" Silverstream retorted, flattening her ears in embarrassment.

Fireheart nudged Beechflower. "How about you, Beechflower?" he meowed, grinning in amusement. "Planning on raising any kittens?"

Frogleap snickered to himself as Beechflower shot Fireheart an aghast look. "I… er… um..."

Dawnwhisker purred loudly. "Oh, we're only teasing," she chuckled.

Frogleap reached over and prodded Dawnwhisker. "How about Leopardfur?" he asked, with a knowing smirk. "You two seem to have been patrolling together quite a bit."

"What about Leopardfur?"

Frogleap jumped at the sound of the deputy's voice. Leopardfur had padded by and stopped as he mentioned her. It was his turn to look mortified. "Leopardfur!" he exclaimed. "I was just… saying you've been... doing a great job of, uh… organizing patrols."

Leopardfur rose a brow wordlessly before she glanced at Dawnwhisker. "Ready?" she meowed.

"In a moment," Dawnwhisker replied. "I'll meet you by the river."

Leopardfur nodded before she padded away. The spotted molly padded through the reeds, heading out of camp.

Fireheart glanced at his former mentor. "Ready for what?" he asked.

Dawnwhisker smiled. "Oh, we're just going for a walk." She curled her tail, looking almost bashful. "Now that I'm not a mentor anymore… well, we have more time to spend together."

Silverstream narrowed her eyes, mischief sparking in her blue eyes. "When are you going to finally work up the guts to ask her to be your mate?" she asked boldly.

The insides of Dawnwhisker's ears went red. "Hey!" she blurted. "I was just teasing earlier!" She was quick to stand and hurry off in the direction Leopardfur had gone.

Fireheart smiled fondly. _Leopardfur and Dawnwhisker, huh?_ He hadn't noticed it before, but he supposed that Leopardfur _was_ strangely fond of Dawnwhisker, considering how aloof she was with the rest of her Clan.

Frogleap glanced over his shoulder cautiously before he turned back to the others. "So, Skyheart," he meowed. "Any bets on when she'll move into the nursery?"

Silverstream rolled her eyes. "You're shameless!" she meowed. "But, I suppose I'd say in a moon."

Fireheart shook his head. "I'm staying out of this one."

Beechflower shouldered him. "Oh, you're no fun! I think she'll be there by the next Gathering."

"Too soon!" Frogleap retorted. "I bet she'll be in the nursery at the half-moon after it."

Beechflower shook his head. "Oh, come on, there's no way she'll wait that long!"

The three cats began to argue about timing, and Fireheart listened, amused, as he continued to eat.

* * *

**Just two more chapters left to go before book one is done!**

**Reviews:**

**KatieK101: Katie! Glad to see you're back! I hope you wedding was fantastic. I don't have the time to reply to all your wonderful reviews, but thanks for catching up and leaving them! I will say I also love the name Beechthroat, and I went back and forth between -flower and -throat for a while.**

**LaurenRiverSister: I'm glad to see people like Leopardfur while still having cautions about her - that's what I'm trying to go for. She's certainly not a great cat, but she's not wholly evil or without feeling. I love Silverstream, too, and I'm always happy when I can fit her in! She doesn't get a lot of time in book one, but she'll be more relevant in the second half of book two and onward. And thanks for the feedback!**

**Thank you to everyone else who reviewed!**


	29. Chapter 27

Fireheart bobbed on the surface of the river, swimming along lazily. It had been a strangely peaceful few days. No trespassing from ThunderClan and no threats from ShadowClan. Leopardfur kept up steady patrols on both borders, but now that there were four more sets of paws to lead patrols, everyone had more free time.

Beechflower's head broke the surface of the water a bit downstream. A fat carp hung in his jaws. The stocky tom swam to the shore and dropped it on the sandy beach. "Got one!" he purred. "This will make a good dinner."

Fireheart twisted around to face him. "You're always thinking about food," he teased. "Just relax!"

Beechflower rolled his eyes. "I do just enough of both, thank you very much." He plodded back into the river, but stopped as the water was up to his shoulders. The brown tom grinned before he lifted a paw and slapped it down on the surface.

"No!" Fireheart cried, as water splashed over him. He shook his head, trying to get the water out of his eyes. "I'll get you for that."

"I'd like to see you try!" Beechflower challenged, before he jumped in fully with a splash and began to swim swiftly downstream.

Minkpaw's head poked through the reed barrier. "Oh, we're attacking Beechflower?" she loudly meowed, a with mischievous look on her face.

Grasspaw came hurrying out beside her. "That's what I heard!"

Beechflower spun himself around in the water. "No!" he meowed. "What are you—"

Both sisters came charging towards him and leaped into the river. Minkpaw landed first, showering water over the warrior, while Grasspaw landed squarely on him. Both Grasspaw and Beechflower sunk underwater.

Fireheart laughed as they both re-emerged, snapping playfully at each other. Fireheart struck out towards them. "You decided to pick on the wrong warrior, Beechflower!" he declared.

Beechflower tugged himself away from Grasspaw. "Wait!" he cried. "Whoever helps me defeat Fireheart gets to share that carp I just caught with me!"

Both Minkpaw and Grasspaw stalled. They swiveled around to stare at Fireheart.

Fireheart gulped. _Uh oh._

"After him!" Grasspaw yowled. She began to paddle against the current, ears flattened in mock hostility.

Fireheart lifted up a paw to strike her when a sharp screech made all the cats freeze.

"Attack!"

_What?_ Fireheart blinked. That was no playful yowl—that was a war cry.

Fireheart turned to look upstream. Beetleclaw, Skyheart, and Reedtail were all pelting towards camp. Countless cats were racing behind them. None of them were RiverClan.

"It's an attack!" Beetleclaw roared. "ShadowClan attacking! Defend the camp!" He raced past the river and dove through the reeds.

Fireheart let out a snarl and swam for the shore. "Come on!" he growled. He quickly hauled himself out of the water, and the others were quick to follow suit. As the patrol raced into camp, the ShadowClan attackers turned their attention to Fireheart and his companions.

"No mercy!" shrieked one ragged-furred tom. "No quarter!"

Fireheart threw himself on the first cat that came running for them. His adversary was skinny, and Fireheart was surprised at how easy it was to roll her onto her back and pin her. She smelled only faintly of ShadowClan—could she be one of the rogues Brokenstar recruited?

The molly hissed and began to pummel Fireheart with her back legs. The blows were weak, and Fireheart growled as he leaned in and sank his teeth into her scruff. He stepped off of her and yanked with all his strength—and flung her directly into the river.

His victory was short lived. Blackfoot, a _real_ ShadowClan warrior, collided into Fireheart, taking him by surprise from the side. Fireheart managed to scramble free and avoid being pinned, but he dodged right into the paws of another intruder. A cat bit into his tail from behind while another clawed at his flank.

Fireheart fell as yet another cat kicked out his legs. _StarClan help me!_ He thought, flailing his paws uselessly. He could hardly make out a thing—there were too many cats snapping and clawing at him. Blackfoot loomed over him, jaws parted. Fireheart pressed a forepaw to the tom's chest, trying to hold him back, but the tom was much stronger than he was, and he lunged forward. _No!_

Then Dawnwhisker was on the tom's back in a flash. She clung to his shoulders, shrieking like a mad fox. "_Get off my apprentice_!" She screeched, before she bit down on the back of his neck.

Blackfoot yowled and tried to rear up to throw her off, but instead, he collapsed under her weight. Fireheart gave her a grateful nod as he rolled over onto his belly and pressed himself low to the ground. RiverClan warriors had come pouring out of camp to defend the boundary.

Fireheart's eyes flickered about uncertainly as he tried to figure out where he was needed most. It was a chaotic scene, and it was hard to tell what exactly was happening or who had the upper paw. Minkpaw and Shadefang were fighting back-to-back, lashing out at any cat who came near, but they had four cats dancing around them and hissing. Blackclaw was battering one rogue senseless, but Frogleap was pinned by three others. While Silverstream dunked another cat in the river, Sedgecreek was being beaten around between two cats.

Fireheart just leaped for the nearest cat. He was a mangy black-and-white thing, but he spat furiously as Fireheart slashed at his shoulder. Fireheart dealt him another blow on the ear, but he recoiled as he felt teeth in his flank. Another enemy was clinging to him, growling as she dug in her fangs. _There's too many of them!_ Fireheart thought. _How can we keep up with this?_

A roar came from across the river. "ThunderClan, to me!"

_ThunderClan?_ Fireheart wondered. He fell once more as another cat shoved him and pinned him. He bit at a paw that came close to his jaws, but he felt many more pressing him down from all sides.

"Attack!" It was Tigerclaw's voice. ShadowClan cats and rogues scattered as the massive deputy came barreling into the fight. Behind him came more ThunderClan warriors, but Fireheart couldn't see any of them.

RiverClan cats began to yowl as they recognized the ThunderClan cats. "Thank StarClan!" Petalstream cried.

The crowd around Fireheart disappeared as the intruders were forced to regroup and face the new odds. Fireheart leaped up to his paws and quickly assessed the new cats. It wasn't a large patrol by any means, but each cat was a hardened warrior—there was Tigerclaw, who was larger than any other cat in the battle, Bluefur, who was skillfully sending off one of the skinny rogues, and Lionheart, who was grabbing two rogues in his claws and clobbering their heads together.

The black tom that had attacked Fireheart bristled. "Retreat!" he yowled. "Regroup with the others! The war is not over!"

As quickly as they had come, the cats ripped themselves away from the defenders and took off in the direction of the bridge. Beetleclaw and Blackclaw both made as though to run after them, but Crookedstar stopped them.

"Wait!" he panted. "Let them go. We need a moment to breathe."

Leopardfur was bleeding from a shoulder wound, but looked as strong as ever. Anger sparked in her eyes. She lifted her head and glanced around. "Is everyone accounted for?" she asked.

Fireheart looked around. Everyone was sporting wounds, but it seemed all the RiverClan cats were standing. He let out a breath of relief.

Tigerclaw strode towards Crookedstar. "What was that?" he demanded. "We were out hunting when we heard the fighting."

"I…" Crookedstar hesitated. He seemed unsure of the answer. "I don't know. It was sudden." He searched the cats for a moment. "Blackclaw?" he called. "What happened?"

Blackclaw limped towards him. "We were marking the border when they just came charging across the bridge," he growled. "I don't know how there were so many. Never though I'd see the day where I was glad to see a ThunderClan patrol charging across the stepping-stones."

Skyheart narrowed her eyes. "Hold on a moment," she loudly meowed. "What did Blackfoot mean when he said the war was not over?"

Tigerclaw frowned. "That did strike me as strange. Does he seriously think he can mount another attack in the same day?"

Fireheart frowned. _I don't know many ShadowClan cats,_ he thought. _Or… well, any of them. But I know the scent. Hardly any of them really smelled properly of ShadowClan._ "It seemed like most of them weren't even warriors," he said, recalling how easily he had fought the first molly.

"My thoughts exactly," Leopardfur growled. She lashed her tail. "So if the _warriors_ weren't here, where were they?"

Bluefur narrowed her eyes. "I recognized only one or two cats," she said. "Their warriors must be somewhere else."

"Father," Silverstream called. Everyone turned to face her. She had a deep frown. "There's only one other place that they would be," she said.

Fireheart narrowed his eyes. _Does she mean…?_

"He said the war wasn't over," Silverstream went on. She curled her lips. "They must be fighting another battle in WindClan! This was just a distraction!"

Lionheart's eyes widened. "Would they try such a daring thing?" he asked.

Crookedstar frowned. "Perhaps," he grunted. "But why would they distract us?"

Dawnwhisker nodded, looking thoughtful. "You saw how many cats they had," she growled. "They must have sent most of their rogue recruits to weaken us and brought their warriors to WindClan to make sure no one came to WindClan's aid." She glanced at Tigerclaw. "You are sure your Clan isn't being attacked?"

Tigerclaw shook his head. "We patrolled that border hardly any time ago. We would have noticed an attack if it was coming."

"We're close to WindClan, too," Petalstream fretted. "And one of our patrols defended them from thieves recently."

Fireheart's tail flicked. Things were all working themselves together in his mind. _So they came to attack us so we couldn't help them. They didn't just want to punish us for not giving them hunting rights… they were trying to make us useless to help WindClan._

Crookedstar's gaze travelled around his warriors. His ears were flat. "Then I'm afraid Brokenstar's plan worked," he growled. "I cannot bring my warriors into a fight like this." He shook his head. "I pray that WindClan has the strength to protect themselves if this is all true."

_What?_ Fireheart stiffened. He was shocked by Crookedstar's inaction. _They're starving! _He recalled, thinking of Deadfoot and Whitepaw. _There's no way they can protect themselves from ShadowClan! Blackfoot said they were "regrouping"_—_they're _all _going to be in WindClan! This is wrong!_

He hadn't realized he had voiced his last thought until the eyes of all his Clanmates were on him.

"What?" Crookedstar demanded. He looked surprised that Fireheart had spoken up.

"This is wrong!" Fireheart repeated. "Leopardfur, Dawnwhisker—you _saw_ them! They're weak and starving and they've been constantly fighting ShadowClan. If those cats were all rogues, they're going to be destroyed once both the rogues and warriors attack! They could be falling apart _now_!"

"This would be the best time to strike," Tigerclaw meowed, surprising Fireheart. The ThunderClan deputy narrowed his eyes. "If we're right about this, Brokenstar is bringing his full force into WindClan. You all may be wounded, but those rogues will be too. With ThunderClan, we will have more fresh warriors to fight." He lifted his chin. "Our agreement was to unseat Brokenstar together. I say we strike now. If Thistlestar were here, he would agree."

Crookedstar blinked. He was silent for a few moments, before he glanced at Leopardfur. "What do you say?" he asked.

Leopardfur's tail twitched. Her eyes flicked towards Fireheart for a long moment before she sighed, as though disappointed to find herself agreeing with him. "Fireheart and Tigerclaw are both right," she reluctantly meowed. "We need Brokenstar gone and if we do not fight, WindClan may be lost. ShadowClan will grow strong on their territory, and then they will come for the rest of us."

The reeds rustled. Yellowfang stepped out of the camp. Her eyes were clear, and her expression was for once unreadable. "Brokenstar _must_ be dealt with," she meowed. "All he wants is power. He will not make deals or alliances with any of you. He is a brute and knows nothing but violence." She let out a sudden snarl. "StarClan will judge you all harshly if you allow the downfall of an entire Clan."

Crookedstar closed his eyes. "I…"

"It must be done!" Tigerclaw snapped. "Bluefur, you're the fastest. Run to camp _now_ and retrieve as many warriors as can be spared. Crookedstar, wake up! There is a war on the moor and it will not wait for us!"

Crookedstar snapped to attention. He looked angry at how the ThunderClan cat had spoken to him, but he turned stiffly towards his Clanmates. "Very well!" he growled. "We will help WindClan. I pray to StarClan we have the strength to do so. Leopardfur, Blackclaw, Voleclaw, Petalstream, Beechflower, Fireheart, Sedgecreek, Dawnwhisker, and Reedtail—you will come. The rest of you stay in camp in case of another attack."

Fireheart blinked as his name was called, and he simply nodded in response. He supposed it was only fair that he fight when he was the one to speak up about it.

Leopardfur lashed her tail. "Quickly!" she growled. "We're already running out of time."


	30. Chapter 28

Silverstream's deduction had been correct. ShadowClan had launched an attack on Windclan.

They had followed the trail left by the fleeing rogues, who, sure enough, were headed right up the river for the moorland. Crookedstar picked up their pace as they crossed the border. ShadowClan scent bathed the area, and even at the farthest reaches of the territory, there were signs of battle. Clumps of fur, drops of blood, and kicked-up grass and dirt.

It wasn't long before they heard screeches and yowls. The WindClan cats must have retreated back to their camp and were fighting there.

"Come on!" Crookedstar roared. "We're nearly there!"

Fireheart put on another burst of speed. He raced alongside Dawnwhisker, and though his lungs burned, he did not slow.

The source of the battle was up a steep slope. Though Fireheart could not see any cats yet, the shrieks had grown loud enough that it was clear they were at the top of the hill. The RiverClan cats—along with Tigerclaw and Lionheart—raced up the hill. Reedtail reached the top of the slope first, and he cried out in alarm.

Fireheart reached the top, and he understood why.

The WindClan camp was in a large hollow in the ground, with a short slope surrounding it. It was filled entirely with fighting cats, so much so that some ShadowClan attackers waited around the perimeter to attack any cat that tried to escape. It was a bloodbath. Cats cried out in terror as they were assaulted by numerous cats at once. Limp bodies littered the ground, and it was impossible to tell which side they belonged to.

"RiverClan!" Crookedstar roared. "Attack!" He launched himself into the camp, and landed squarely on a skinny rogue.

"We need to push them out of camp!" Leopardfur yowled. "Protect elders and queens!"

Fireheart leaped down, aiming for a long-haired tortoiseshell, who was in a group that surrounded an apprentice-aged cat. She didn't see him coming, and she shrieked out as he slammed down on her back. The tortoiseshell crumpled, but she quickly twisted and rolled, dislodging Fireheart. He jumped clear, and collided backwards into another cat. The cat snarled and lashed out at him. Fireheart dodged, only to walk into yet another cat.

_It's too crowded!_ he thought. _How can we fight against these odds?_ Fireheart surged forward to attack the first cat he fought. She drew back her lips and hissed furiously before she lashed or and clawed through his cheek. Her blow carried strength—this one was clearly a real ShadowClan warrior.

"Mange-pelt!" Fireheart spat. "How can you do this?"

"ShadowClan will come for your territory, too, fish-face!" she snarled, before she exploded forward. Fireheart reared up to meet her, and he wrapped his forelegs around her neck as they fell back. The two rolled over, pummeling each other with kicks and snapping to bite at anything that came within reach. Cats leaped out of their way as they tumbled.

The molly came out on top, and she slammed Fireheart into the ground. "This is the end for you!" she spat. The words had hardly left her mouth when a lean tom surged forward, sank his teeth into her scruff, and yanked her clean off. He threw her down into the ground, and she rolled once before she hissed and leaped off into the fray to find another battle.

Fireheart's eyes widened with recognition. "Deadfoot!" he gasped out. "Thanks!'

"Didn't expect to see you here, youngster!" Deadfoot replied, panting heavily. "StarClan knows we need the help. ShadowClan found far more rogues than we imagined!"

Fireheart stood up in time to see a cat racing for Deadfoot. "Behind you!" he shouted. The WindClan deputy spun around and lashed out, and caught the cat across the jaw before they could attack.

Fireheart turned away to find his own target. Though the camp was still swarming with cats, there were already some cats who were beginning to flee. There were only a few, but they all seemed to be the poorly-fed rogues. Fireheart narrowed his eyes. _At least they're cowards._

A shriek caught Fireheart's attention amidst all the noise. "Stay away from my son!"

Fireheart whirled in the direction of the noise. _They must be trying to attack kits again!_ He bristled with rage and charged through the battle. He shouldered cats out of his way and leaped free of those who tried to claw at him. Finally, he saw it—a tortoiseshell molly crouched in front of a hole, bristling. She was facing the same black tom that had been in the battle earlier. _Blackfoot!_

Blackfoot stepped closer. "He will make a fine warrior in ShadowClan," he spat. "No need to spill his blood." He unsheathed his claws. "Yours, however… I will." He lifted a paw.

"Fleabag!" Fireheart roared, before he threw himself onto Blackfoot. He slammed into his side, and Blackfoot stumbled.

"You again!" Blackfoot spat. "I should have killed you while I had the chance." He drew back his lips and swung a huge paw. Fireheart ducked, then shot forward to bite the other foreleg. Blackfoot snarled in pain and fell onto his side. The black tom kicked out with his hind legs and caught Fireheart in the shoulder. It was Fireheart's turn to stumble away.

Before Blackfoot could stand, the queen shot forward and sank her jaws into the side of Blackfoot's neck. She snarled with all the ferocity of a dog as she bit down, and Blackfoot shrieked in pain as he writhed about, desperately trying to break free. He twisted around, kicked her in the chest, and ripped himself free of her grip. Blood matted the fur of his neck, and a thick patch of fur hung in the queen's jaws. She spat it out with contempt. Blackfoot turned tail and ran.

The queen turned to Fireheart. "Thank you!" she meowed. "He was trying to take the kits."

Fireheart nodded, his eyes still nodded with fury. "They killed kits in ThunderClan," he growled. "I couldn't let that happen again."

A deep yowl sounded out from the top of the slope. "ThunderClan!" it was the roar of Thistlestar himself. "Attack! Drive these mange-pelts out! Find me Brokenstar!"

ThunderClan warriors poured into camp. Unlike RiverClan, they were full of energy and battle-ready, and it seemed Thistlestar had nearly brought the whole of ThunderClan with him. Fireheart kneaded his paws eagerly. _We have a chance now!_

The tide turned much quicker than he expected. A sharp voice cried out, "Retreat! ShadowClan, retreat!"

_Brokenstar!_ Fireheart saw the ragged-furred brute thrust himself out of the throng of fighting cats. "Retreat!" He repeated, before he took off for the slope.

"Don't let him escape!" Crookedstar yowled. "This ends _today_!"

ShadowClan warriors scrambled in every direction as ThunderClan cats threw themselves into the battle. Some took off after Brokenstar, while others simply raced out the nearest way they could.

Leopardfur lashed her tail. "You heard Crookedstar!" she shouted. "After him! He can't be allowed to return to ShadowClan!"

Fireheart shared a quick glance with the queen before he tore off after his Clanmates. Every muscle burned with exhaustion, but adrenaline spurred him on.

Ferretstar lifted his head and lashed his tail. "WindClan!" he yowled. "If you have the strength, follow!" Though the WindClan leader was bleeding from multiple wounds, he hared off immediately and was the first to leap up the slope. Only a few WindClan cats followed, but the whole of ThunderClan was with them.

Fireheart scanned the moor from the top of the camp. Brokenstar was racing down the hillside, running towards the river. A band of ThunderClan warriors were running parallel to him and his followers, cutting off their escape route towards ShadowClan. Crookedstar and Ferretstar were leading the charge after the ShadowClanners.

They ran on. Fireheart knew that Brokenstar could not run that way forever—and soon he heard the rushing river in the gorge, up ahead. Brokenstar, far ahead, skidded to a halt and spun around. He must have reached the gorge. The ragged tom's eyes were wide. His Clanmates stopped with him. Some darted off in other directions, and though some were sent back towards him by ThunderClan, a few managed to narrowly escape.

"Let them go!" Thistlestar shouted. "We need _him_!"

When WindClan and RiverClan reached them, Ferretstar called out, "Surround them!"

Fireheart fell in beside a ThunderClan and WindClan cat. He recognized neither, but that was hardly important. They were all united in their goal—putting an end to Brokenstar.

Brokenstar lashed his tail. "Cowards!" he spat. "All of you—cowards! Three clans against a retreating one… you call yourselves warriors?" His eyes were practically bulging from exhaustion and fear.

Ferretstar bristled with outrage. "How dare you!" he roared. "You have been tormenting my Clan for moons, and then you recruit rogues to wipe us out! You try to speak of _warriors_—!"

"Stop."

Fireheart blinked. It was Yellowfang who had spoke. She stepped out from the line of cats. Brokenstar's eyes widened. "You?" he hissed. "You mangy, disgusting—"

"Shut up," Yellowfang hissed. "I speak to ShadowClan's true warriors. I know you do not all want to protect him!"

Brokenstar narrowed his eyes. "You will find no traitors here!"

Yellowfang ignored him. Her gaze travelled across the warriors that flanked him. "Listen to me!" she shouted. "Brokenstar lied to you all when he exiled me. I would never murder kits! He is the one who has sent your three-moon-olds to battle, who has made them warriors before they should even leave the nursery!" She lashed her tail. "Flintfang, you lost an apprentice in his first battle! Dawncloud, half of your first litter died in _training_!" Her voice was edged with desperation. "Why are you even _in_ this battle? It's plain as day that you're expecting again!"

The queen in question flinched away. Mutters began to rise up from the ShadowClan cats.

A russet-furred molly thrust herself forward. Her lips were drawn back. "She's right!" she hissed. "Nothing you've done has been to benefit ShadowClan."

Brokenstar whirled upon her. "How dare you!" he spat. "I care only for my Clan. I am the only leader brave enough to push for better territory! For stronger warriors!"

Another tom stepped towards him. "Your decisions have killed cats who _would_ have been warriors!"

Thistlestar's eyes flickered with interest. "It seems you don't have as strong of a hold on your Clan as you thought," he growled.

ShadowClan cats began to speak over one another, growing in volume with each passing moment. Some shouted against their leader, while others pressed in defensively around him. Fireheart saw Blackfoot among his defenders, and the tom snarled at the russet molly who had first spoke.

"Enough of this!" Crookedstar growled. "Brokenstar's reign must end." He stepped forward, and beckoned with his tail for the others to advance. "I care not for the squabbles of ShadowClan—but this tyrant is a scourge to all."

"Stay away from him!" spat the tortoiseshell that Fireheart had battled.

The surrounding cats advanced. Brokenstar arched his back. Behind the ShadowClan cats was the gorge, and on every other side stood the three Clans. There would be no escape.

Before anyone could do anything, chaos erupted among the ShadowClan cats. One battle-scarred tom launched himself at Blackfoot, and then two more darted for the tortoiseshell. Brokenstar's supporters were being set upon by their own Clanmates. Fireheart skipped back a few steps as two brown cats wrestled themselves his way.

"Stop!" Ferretstar yowled. "We must get Brokenstar!"

Brokenstar tried to leap free of the fray, but Yellowfang shot forward and brought him down with a blow to the jaw. She clawed him fiercely and spat in his face. Dawncloud shrieked and leaped upon him as well.

"Advance!" Crookedstar yowled. "We need to stop this and—"

Brokenstar tore himself free of Yellowfang and Dawncloud. Spitting furiously, he stepped back.

The ground at the edge of the cliff gave out beneath the tom's paws. His eyes went wide as his hind legs suddenly shot down into the gorge. Brokenstar screeched and gripped his claws into the ground, hanging on for dear life. He hung on the edge, holding only his head and forelegs on the side of the gorge. "Help me!" he wailed. "Blackfoot! Clawface! Mottlepelt! _Somebody_!"

Yellowfang stepped forward. "You've always been a coward," she hissed. "Now you can die a coward." She lashed out and struck him across the face. Brokenstar lost his grip and slipped into the gorge, vanishing from sight. A desperate wail echoed with him all the way down.

Fireheart's eyes widened. He and every other cat rushed forward to the edge to peer down into the great gorge. He leaned over just in time to see Brokenstar's body hit the water, cutting off his cry. They waited breathlessly for some time.

His body never broke the surface.

"It's over," Ferretstar breathed. "He…"

"He's dead," growled Thistlestar.

"No!" one ShadowClan cat wailed. "Brokenstar!"

Other ShadowClanners, however, began to attack him as they had moments before. They drove him away from the gorge.

"Don't show your face in camp!" spat the russet molly.

"Blackfoot!" roared one tom, as he spun to face the deputy. "I'll rip out your throat if I see you in our territory again!"

"Flintfang!" Blackfoot protested, as he stumbled away. "Brother, listen—"

WindClan, RiverClan, and ThunderClan all began to back away. The ShadowClan cats were pushing out certain cats—Blackfoot, the tortoiseshell, and a few others were among them. The russet molly lashed her tail. "None of you are ShadowClan anymore," she hissed.

"What in StarClan's name is happening?" muttered one ThunderClan molly.

"Seems not everyone was fond of his leadership," replied another.

As the ranks of cats broke apart and moved back, the scorned ShadowClan cats fled, with the remaining ones clawing at any who hesitated. All of the cats watched them flee, and there was a long stretch of silence. No one seemed sure of what to say.

Finally, the russet-furred ShadowClan cat stepped towards Ferretstar. She bowed her head to him. "You will find no more trouble from us," she promised. "We had no choice but to follow him."

Ferretstar narrowed his eyes. "You expect me to forgive you?" He lashed his tail. "Our Clan has starved for moons because of yours!"

The ShadowClan molly sighed. "Those of us who were not close with Brokenstar suffered, too. Our elders were banished. The rogues he used took what little prey we had." She shook her head. "I do not expect forgiveness, but you have the apology of ShadowClan anyway."

Dawncloud padded towards her and brushed against her. "We should go back to camp, Russetfur," she whispered. "We have no leader or deputy anymore. We need to rebuild."

Russetfur nodded. She looked to Crookedstar. "We won't bother you anymore, either."

"What of those rogues?" Thistlestar called. "And your former Clanmates?"

Russetfur's eyes narrowed to slits. "Do what you like with them, should you see them again," she spat. "Chase them off, kill them, I hardly care. Though I doubt they'll show their faces on Clan territory again. Half the cats he recruited were strays from a dump, anyway."

Ferretstar's tail lashed. "Go," he growled. "Get off my territory. Do not think to cross the border again."

Russetfur dipped her head before she fell in with her Clanmates. Thistlestar stepped away and gestured for his Clanmates to let them pass. They obliged, but stared suspiciously at the remnants of ShadowClan as they padded away. Everyone watched as they walked, following the gorge towards Fourtrees.

When they had finally gone, Ferretstar let out a heavy sigh. "Thank you," he meowed. "We would have been slaughtered without help."

Thistlestar grunted impatiently. "This was about getting rid of Brokenstar," he retorted. "Nothing more. ThunderClan, we're going home." He lashed his tail and took off down the slope the way the ShadowClan cats had gone. His warriors were quick to follow him.

Crookedstar shook his head and glanced at Ferretstar. "RiverClan will return home," he meowed. "Good luck." He began to pad away, slowly limping along.

Fireheart blinked and padded along after him. Everything had happened so quickly, but at last, it was over. He fell in beside Dawnwhisker, who said nothing, but brushed her tail along his flank as he joined her. The action was comforting.

Fireheart's adrenaline melted away, and he felt the soreness in all of his muscles. _I'll sleep hard tonight,_ he thought. _What happens tomorrow? Do we just return to business as usual?_ He glanced out towards the gorge. The river was painted orange as it reflected the setting sun. He watched it for a few moments as they walked. _At least Brokenstar is gone. Thistlestar, however… how long before he strikes again?_ He sighed softly. _Hopefully the peace will last for some time._

* * *

**END OF BOOK ONE**

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**This is it - Book One of _Fire and Water _is over! It's been fun to go back through and re-read and re-upload the story, but I'm excited to finally move on and get Book Two: _Forest of Secrets_ up. It probably seemed like a quick updating schedule on this, but like I've said - this book has been fully written for a while now, and this is the second time I've fully posted this version. I'm about halfway through writing _Forest of Secrets,_ and I'll be posting chapters once a week until I run out of completed chapters.**

**Thanks for sticking around, y'all! If you have questions or just want to say hey, be sure to check out the tumblr blog for this story, warriorsfireandwater, where I answer lots of questions and sometimes have bonus content! (I've got the full naming system up there, too, so if you're interested in learning all the meanings, check it out!) And thank you so much to everyone who's left reviews - even when I don't have time to give responses, know that I cherish and appreciate every single one!**

**See ya in a couple days with _Forest of Secrets!_**


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